Chapter 58

The system window popped up.

Now that they’d come face-to-face, it was certain death unless they calmed the Student Affairs Teacher’s rage or “persuaded” her according to this RP dungeon’s rules—something, anything.

“At first, it made sense for the Student Affairs Teacher to chase us since we trashed the school.”

Ju Ian planned to go with the latter.

‘Gotta say what needs to be said!’

Thinking of Shin Yuri, he pointed at the ruined gymnasium.

“But the situation’s changed now.”

A gentle voice laced with amusement rang out. So Yeri blinked.

“Huh?”

The gymnasium’s wrecked, so what…? Oh!

She clapped her hands.

“You’re right! The situation has changed!”

Color returned to So Yeri’s face.

“If you’ve got something to say, spit it out!”

Standing before the furious Student Affairs Teacher, Ju Ian opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry for causing a disturbance on the third floor.”

At his words, the Student Affairs Teacher faltered.

True to the rules of this high school-themed RP dungeon, she couldn’t very well yell at a student who’d admitted his wrongdoing first.

“We’ll be more careful from now on.”

As he spoke, Ju Ian looked straight up at the Student Affairs Teacher.

“It’s good that you’re owning up to your mistakes.”

“Still, you’ve gotta be punished for the commotion on the third floor!”

The moment the Student Affairs Teacher clenched her fist…

Ju Ian continued.

“But the gymnasium, part of the school fence, key facilities in the sports field, and the lectern? You’re the one who smashed those, Student Affairs Teacher.”

So Yeri could almost see Shin Yuri’s sullen tone overlaying Ju Ian’s demeanor as she shot back.

Was he the type who could say stuff like that?

While she blinked in surprise, the Student Affairs Teacher faltered again.

“That was—”

“And no one saw it but us.”

Seizing the opening, Ju Ian attempted to negotiate.

So Yeri’s jaw dropped wide.

Has Shin Yuri the hunter possessed him!?

As she reeled in shock, Ju Ian recalled his first meeting with Shin Yuri.

Before awakening as a hunter, Ju Ian had been one of those hit hard by awakening fever.

And he couldn’t go to a major hospital.

‘You need to see a bigger hospital.’

It hadn’t been long since the gate incidents began, and all the large hospitals were packed with hunters.

So no university hospital would treat a regular person—a penniless orphan student, no less.

The small clinics all shrugged, saying they couldn’t identify the cause, and sent him away despite his barely making it there.

They couldn’t figure out why he was sick.

‘Fever over 104°F for days, and he’s walking around?’

The one who took interest was a Hunter Association doctor, a friend of a doctor at a small clinic.

‘Tell that kid to come to the Hunter Association.’

Somehow connected, the Hunter Association gave him a simple diagnosis.

“This is hunter awakening fever.”

“Awakening fever?”

Back then, it was believed you could only awaken as a hunter by entering a gate or facing a life-threatening crisis.

So as the gate situation stabilized and Ju Ian resumed his studies, the term was unfamiliar to him.

“What’s your regular job?”

Ju Ian answered simply to the Hunter Association doctor.

“I’m a student.”

“Just studying? Then even if you awaken, it won’t be anything special…”

Unless you awakened inside a dungeon, the notion was you’d end up a hunter without notable skills—so the doctor’s reaction was typical.

“But why’s your awakening fever this severe?”

The odd part was that his fever was excessively intense, as if for a high-rank awakening.

“Anyway, rest up and come out when you’re done. The government covers hospital bills once you awaken as a hunter, so don’t worry.”

In the awakening fever management room the doctor took him to, Ju Ian encountered an unexpected system window.

After a brief loading, a single simple word appeared on the system window.

The moment Ju Ian’s eyes widened, a barrage of system windows flooded in.

His awakening status wasn’t just for his eyes.

The hunter recognition system in the awakening fever room immediately relayed the news to the Hunter Association’s internal admins.

Word of an S-rank healer spread like wildfire through the association.

The moment the news hit, Hunter Association staff, including doctors, flooded the awakening fever room.

“Healer?”

“A real S-rank healer?”

“It says S on the system window?”

They bombarded Ju Ian, who felt dazed now that his condition had cleared up so suddenly.

“Finally, an S-rank healer in Korea!”

Some in the back were even moved to tears.

“Quiet!”

A man who appeared to be the Hunter Association president stepped forward amid the clamor.

“Ju Ian—er, Hunter Ju Ian. Are you really S-rank? Could you just place your hand here?”

His face flushed with excitement, he shoved forward a machine equipped with the awakener identification system.

Since an S-rank awakening was a major event, it needed thorough verification.

The moment Ju Ian placed his hand on it…

The machine, recognizing his power, displayed the clear text.

The excited association staff leaked the news, shaking up every media outlet.

He wasn’t from any established hunter circles—just an ordinary college student.

And when it came out he was an orphan with no guardians or connections, Korea went into an uproar.

“Grab that student however you can!”

“An S-rank healer! Just get the lifetime contract stamped!”

Even S-rank hunters were bound by system-enforced contracts.

In other words, an clueless S-rank healer had dropped right into a pack of vultures.

As breaking news about him blanketed the news and internet, Ju Ian frantically absorbed hunter info.

Who were the famous hunters in Korea? What did S-ranks usually do?

What benefits did top-tier S-rank hunters get?

“Joining the Hunter Association is an option too.”

Listening to the HR manager subtly pushing association membership…

“I’ll think about it.”

Ju Ian gave a simple reply, but the HR manager was persistent.

“You’d be semi-civil servant status, and no one messes with an S-rank. So this…”

He even started dropping hints of shady dealings.

But Ju Ian had no intention of joining. It was all too chaotic to begin with.

He’d only gone to a doctor for his illness and ended up at the association by chance. An S-rank hunter?

“I’ll go home and think—”

“Do you know how rare this opportunity is? I can only offer it as HR manager. Huh?”

But the manager kept yammering smoothly.

He’d clocked that Ju Ian hated interrupting others.

“I’ll consider it.”

Ju Ian spoke mildly, but the manager waved it off.

“Don’t just consider—let’s have some tea first…”

“Really, I’m fine.”

Finally, uncharacteristically firm, Ju Ian stood up.

“Ugh.”

The HR manager smacked his lips regretfully, watching him go.

Ju Ian sighed in relief once the man didn’t follow.

He’d never been good at refusing or cutting people off.

But he knew enough not to make hasty choices in this mess.

He hated fights, but he wasn’t a pushover.

“Gotta head back for now…”

Crossing the Hunter Association hallway, he absently waited for the main building’s automatic doors to open.

—Whirr.

The doors slid open, and he faced a sea of people.

—Click! Click-click!

“Hunter Ju Ian!”

“Any guild recruitment interest?”

“Is a guild already lined up?”

“Guild ‘Jin’ offers the utmost respect for healer hunters—”

“Where’s this mid-tier guild butting in? Shut it! Guild ‘Hee’—”

“Hunter!”

Ju Ian froze in shock.

What’s going on?

Reporters swarmed him so thick he couldn’t move. Pushing through wasn’t an option either.

‘Don’t make physical contact right after S-rank awakening.’

‘You might crush them with your strength.’

Because of the front desk staff’s warning.

So when Ju Ian reached to part the crowd, he pulled his hand back.

He had tons of healing skills now, but he didn’t want to test them on someone he’d accidentally crushed.

“Hunter! What’s your take?”

Instead, to the shouting crowd shoving in, Ju Ian raised a hand—asking for quiet.

As the clamor died to murmurs, he spoke.

“…Could you make way?”

The brief silence exploded louder.

“That voice is no joke!”

“S-rank vibes?”

“How’d awakening feel?”

“How’s an S-rank body differ from a normal one?”

“Heard your fever was brutal—how bad?”

It got even noisier.

Hunter YouTubers joined in, thrusting selfie sticks at his face.

Ju Ian scanned them awkwardly. Cameras or phones would shatter if shoved.

If he’d known this would end up on the Knowledge Tree wiki, he might’ve stayed silent.

He didn’t know, but his Knowledge Tree page was updating in real time.

“Hunter Ju Ian! Just one word!”

It was utter madness. They tugged at him from all sides, but true to S-rank, he didn’t budge.

But he had no emergency escape or flight skills.

As they ignored his plea to move, his expression grew more troubled.

Then someone blurted out.

“Is it true you’re leaving everything to the director!?”