Chapter 2

"Hunter, may I have your business card?"

"...Sure."

Yoon Seo hesitated for a moment before pulling out his business card.

The Nakyup Guild's business cards were far from neat. Yoon Seo had requested several times for better ones, but the boastful Guild Master didn't care.

"This is the first time I've received a Hunter's business card."

The landlord looked at the card with awe. If he had ever seen another Hunter's card from any guild, he would know how just shabby this one was.

"Do you have a Hunter name as well?"

"I'm not in combat, so I don't use a Hunter name."

"Ah, I see."

"If you have any issues, please contact me at that number."

"Are you leaving already? How about a cup of tea before you go?"

"I'm swamped with work. It's hot, so please go inside."

"Oh, you're busy. I understand..."

After parting ways with the disappointed landlord, Yoon Seo got into his car parked in the building's lot.

"Driver Yoon Seo, recognized. Please specify your destination."

The automatic biometric recognition completed, and the AI started the car. Yoon Seo checked his U-Pad to input the next address.

The name of the Guild Master, Ki Sang-hyuk, appeared on the screen. Yoon Seo moved his finger to answer the call.

"What is it?"

"What kind of greeting is 'What is it?' to your Guild Master?"

"I asked why you called."

"Yah, Yoon Seo. Watch your tone. If I had married young, I'd have a son your age by now."

"If you have nothing to say, I'm hanging up."

"Wait, don't hang up!"

Yoon Seo's finger, which was about to end the call, paused.

"If you're done setting up the traps, head over to Yeouinaru Daejeong Securities right away. We got an urgent maintenance request."

"Is it a subcontract?"

"It's a subcontract from the Rainbow Guild. Two of your team members are already there, but it'll take them all day alone. You need to go help."

Yoon Seo chuckled. The Guild Master always talked as if they had a large team, but the Nakyup Guild was a small guild with only twelve members: one Guild Master, five Dungeon Raiders, three management team members, and three Public Support team members. The Public Support team consisted of Team Leader Park Young-beom, team member Go Hee-won, and Yoon Seo.

"I'll head there now. It'll take me 10 minutes."

"Okay. And make sure you come to the team dinner tonight. You know it's a full team dinner, right? There's an important announcement."

"Sounds like a hassle."

"You brat, always with the short answers..."

"Just send the announcement via text or tell me now. I've got a rabbit-like drama waiting for me at home."

"You mean that weird drama about Kimchi Stew?"

Yoon Seo's eyebrow twitched.

"'Love in Han River' is not weird. It's a profound show that teaches us we're not the only ones in this vast universe who make Kimchi Stew."

"Yeah, sure. The weird one is you. Watching that drama over and over until you memorize the lines and plot."

"Anyway, I'm hanging up."

"Yah! Don't hang up. I'll make sure the dinner ends early so you can go home and watch it."

"Really? You'll end it early?"

"Of course. I'm scared of you, so I'll end it early. Damn, this guild is full of people who treat the Guild Master like a pushover..."

Yoon Seo ended the call without hesitation and added the remaining tasks to his schedule for the next day.

"Chapsal, take me to Yeouinaru Daejeong Securities headquarters."

"Yes, Master. Departing for Yeouinaru Daejeong Securities headquarters."

The car moved smoothly. The Guild Master was probably cursing up a storm right now, but he didn't call back. He knew from experience that Yoon Seo wouldn't answer.

Mustache

Take a look at my daughter's drawing skills.

Kim from Management

Mr. Yoon Seo, are you coming to the dinner party today?

Annoying Park

It's the anniversary soon. You won't come again this time?

Since he already had his phone out, Yoon Seo checked his pending messages. There were no important ones, and the guild group chat was noisy as usual, but he ignored it. However, it was hard to ignore the message from Park Joo-hwang.

Yeah, I'm busy with work...sorry.

I had a business trip scheduled that day.

I'm sorry I can't go.

Yoon Seo tried to find a way to decline but eventually gave up and exited the chat. He hadn't attended in ten years, so he figured he wouldn't go this time either.

The hot weather and the rooftop labor had already put him in a bad mood, and the word 'anniversary' only made it worse.

"Is it that time of the year already?"

He always thought time flew by so quickly...

Yoon Seo went online. The main page of the portal site prominently displayed the phrase "10th Anniversary of the Great Dungeon Clear." The anniversary was two weeks away, but the world had been in a frenzy for almost three months. It was always chaotic around this time of year, but it was especially intense this year because it was the 10th anniversary.

When he checked the news for Awakened, it also filled with stories about the the Great Dungeon. Yoon Seo played a video in the air. It was a panel discussion featuring experts on the Awakened, whom Yoon Seo knew well.

"The Great Dungeon ten years ago was a horrific nightmare. From the day it appeared until the day it was cleared, those three months saw the highest death toll since the first day of the Great Cataclysm. Most of the Awakened entered the Great Dungeon, but dungeons kept appearing, monsters poured out, explosions happened everywhere... I only remember spending that time in a bunker."

"That's right. It was also the period with the highest suicide rate in human history. Many people made extreme choices, anticipating the failure to clear the Great Dungeon. Thinking about that time is still painful and difficult, and it's hard to believe it's been ten years."

"I thought the world was ending back then. Those three months were truly horrific."

"Horrific three months, indeed..."

Listening to the discussion with dry eyes, Yoon Seo smirked inwardly.

They have no idea what true horror is.

"There were many noble sacrifices by Revengers inside the Great Dungeon as well. Out of 1,203 Revengers, only four survived. We must not forget that our country suffered the most casualties."

"That's right. Even back then, as now, our country was the strongest on Earth and had the duty to protect it, so many Hunters participated. Seo Chaeyoon, Lee Do-min, Kim Mi-ji, Lee Kang-jin, Bae Soo-yeon... Our country had 691 Awakened, more than half. However, the only Korean Awakened who survived was Hunter Seo Chaeyoon, the youngest Revenger and the ace of the Revengers."

"I remember watching the live news. His face wasn't visible, but he came out unconscious and disappeared completely after that day. Neither our government nor the Hunter Association, nor even the World Hunter Federation, knows Hunter Seo Chaeyoon's true identity. Is that true?"

"Only Gaia knows Hunter Seo Chaeyoon's true identity. Even the name 'Seo Chaeyoon' was an alias, and he always wore a mask in public. The European Hunter La Vigina, who entered the Great Dungeon with him, knows his real face, but she's not mentally stable enough for a proper conversation. Moreover, some unknown skill forces her to keep his identity a secret. In the end, it's as if no one in this world knows who he really is."

"He's truly a mysterious Hunter, befitting the name 'Little Savior'."

"Haha, there's a rumor that Hunter Seo Chaeyoon hated that nickname. He used to say he wasn't little."

"Is that so? Well, he must be a grown man by now. If you're listening, I apologize. Please come find me so I can apologize properly."

The people in the video laughed heartily. Yoon Seo's expression grew darker.

"Alright, let's go over the known facts. Seo Chaeyoon is male, currently estimated to be in his late twenties to early thirties, and one of the first Hunters active since twelve years ago..."

Yoon Seo turned off the video. Feeling suddenly exhausted, he pressed his fingers to his forehead. Every year around the anniversary, everyone talked about Seo Chaeyoon, but this year was particularly intense. It was ridiculous to hold the anniversary ceremony on July 17th. The day they entered the Great Dungeon was July 17th, but the day they cleared it was October 2nd.

"Chapsal, turn off the lights."

"Yes, Master."

As the car's interior dimmed, Yoon Seo reclined his seat and closed his eyes. He had no intention of sleeping; he knew he'd have nightmares. He just wanted to close his eyes and think in the silence.

Three days until payday. Last month's phone bill was 60,000 won. Should I pay an extra 10,000 won a month for unlimited data? They said I'd get a discount on my phone bill if I subscribed to the unlimited drama app. When I get home, I'll have Kimchi Stew with a fried egg. Eat quickly, work out a bit, then watch some dramas.

Damn it...

Yoon Seo opened his eyes. He remembered someone who used to sprinkle a ridiculous amount of pepper on their fried eggs. The man had a scruffy beard and put pepper on everything he ate. Just before he died, he left a will saying he wanted to eat a bowl of soup with pepper one last time. Those who heard his will couldn't laugh or cry.

"All of those messed-up wills... Because of those damn wills, I'm still alive."

Yoon Seo sighed. He rummaged through his pockets, found them empty, and sighed again before calling out 'Inventory' in his mind.

A translucent window appeared before his eyes. Yoon Seo took out a bottle of various nerve stabilizers, including antidepressants and panic disorder medication, opened the lid, and poured them directly into his mouth. He swallowed three or four pills at once without water, then put the bottle back into his shirt pocket instead of the inventory.

"Ah, I want to die. Seriously..."

Even after taking the medication, his head throbbed.

No matter where he was, when it was, or what he was thinking, it always connected back to them.

Even after ten years, the past when he was Seo Chaeyoon still haunted Yoon Seo.