First Hunt

Jin Hwan sat frozen in his chair, staring at the glowing system window. His mind spun as he tried to figure out his next move.

The system's conditions were clear:

Kill to grow stronger.

But what was he supposed to kill?

Demon Gates were the primary hunting grounds for Hunters. But only registered Hunters could enter one. The Hunter Association regulated every gate, ensuring that only official Hunters and their guild teams could step inside.

If he tried sneaking into one…

He exhaled slowly.

That was a death sentence.

If he got caught, he'd be arrested and blacklisted for life. If he actually managed to get inside, he'd be stepping into a warzone completely unprepared.

Demon Gates weren't just some hunting grounds—they were battlefields.

And if he went in alone…

No one would come to save him.

Not the Hunter Association.

Not the Guilds.

Not even Yun Hee.

Because no one would know he had entered a gate 

A weak, powerless civilian who had no business being in a dungeon.

Jin Hwan gritted his teeth.

There had to be another way.

He wasn't an idiot—jumping into a gate with no experience would get him killed, system or not. He had to start small.

Something weaker.

Something he could actually kill.

He tapped his fingers on the table, his thoughts racing.

Monsters existed outside of Demon Gates.

Demons and mutated creatures occasionally appeared in abandoned areas, slums, and black market regions. Places the government didn't care to patrol.

Jin Hwan's eyes darkened.

He had seen the news—gangs and criminals sometimes smuggled demon eggs and young beasts, raising them illegally for underground fights.

It was risky.

But it was also an opportunity.

He just needed to find one.

His fingers clenched into a fist.

If he could locate an illegal smuggling ring, he might be able to find a demon or mutant that he could kill.

The problem was… how?

It wasn't like criminals just posted their locations online.

Jin Hwan inhaled sharply, closing his eyes.

There was one place that might have the answers he needed.

A place where criminals, informants, and rogue hunters gathered.

The Underpass District.

A lawless zone on the outskirts of Seoul, filled with abandoned buildings, hidden gambling dens, and underground fight rings. It was the kind of place where life was cheap, and strength was the only currency.

If illegal monster fights were happening anywhere, it would be there.

His stomach twisted at the thought.

He had never set foot in the Underpass District before.

Even trained Hunters avoided that place unless they had business with the black market dealers. The government and the Hunter Association had long given up on trying to regulate it.

Jin Hwan knew the risks.

He could be robbed.

He could be stabbed.

Hell, he could be sold as a slave if he wasn't careful.

But he had no choice.

He glanced at the system window again.

[Goal: F-Rank → E-Rank]

[100 kills]

That was the first step.

And he would take it, no matter what.

With that resolve burning in his chest, he stood up.

It was time to find something to kill.

Jin Hwan pulled his hood low over his face as he stepped into the Underpass District.

The first thing that hit him was the smell—a foul mixture of blood, damp concrete, and rotting garbage. The streets were cracked, riddled with makeshift stalls and old neon signs that flickered ominously. Graffiti-covered walls stretched endlessly, most of them featuring symbols of underground gangs.

Unlike the rest of Seoul, where Hunter patrols kept the peace, the Underpass was a lawless wasteland.

Here, the strong took whatever they wanted, and the weak were left to rot.

Jin Hwan kept his pace steady, hands in his pockets. He wasn't naive—walking around with an uncertain expression would make him an instant target.

But even so…

"Yo, look at this guy."

A group of three men lounging near a barrel fire turned to face him.

One had a knife. Another had a baseball bat.

Jin Hwan kept walking.

"Where you going, kid?" one of them sneered, stepping into his path. His breath reeked of alcohol. "New to the Underpass? You lost?"

Jin Hwan didn't respond. He just stared.

The man chuckled. "Silent type, huh?" He glanced at the others. "Check his pockets."

Before Jin Hwan could react, a hand reached toward him.

—Move.

His body reacted before he could think.

Jin Hwan grabbed the man's wrist and twisted. Hard.

"AGH—!"

The man yelped, stumbling back. The others stiffened.

"Fucker's got some fight in him." The guy with the bat cracked his knuckles. "Shame. We were just gonna take your money, but now we gotta break something."

Jin Hwan exhaled slowly.

His ribs still ached from the beating he took yesterday. He wasn't in shape to fight three people.

And yet…

"You really wanna do this?" he asked calmly.

The men paused.

It wasn't his words that stopped them—it was his tone.

Cold. Unfazed.

Like he wasn't afraid of them at all.

The first thug hesitated. "Tch. Ain't worth it." He wiped his mouth, scowling. "Piss off, kid. You're lucky we're in a good mood."

Jin Hwan didn't wait for them to change their minds.

He walked past them without another word.

But as he continued deeper into the district, the whispers started.

"…Is that who I think it is?"

"No way—Baek Jin Hwan?"

"You mean the guy who failed his Awakening?"

"Hah! What's he doing in a place like this?"

"Did he come here to cry?"

Jin Hwan's jaw clenched.

He ignored them.

But they didn't stop.

"Damn, I almost feel bad. The great Baek family, and their son's a total failure."

"Should've just killed himself."

"Maybe he's here to sell himself? No system, no skills—what else is he good for?"

Jin Hwan's fingers twitched.

He had grown up with respect. With admiration.

People had always expected him to be strong.

But now?

Now, they looked at him like trash.

And the worst part?

He couldn't even deny it.

Because he was trash.

At least, for now.

—

After what felt like hours, Jin Hwan finally found the place he was looking for.

A warehouse at the far end of the district, surrounded by steel fencing and guarded by men with scars and tattoos.

The Demon Fight Ring.

It was an illegal underground arena where criminals and rogue Hunters bet on fights between demons. Most of the creatures were either captured young or bred in captivity, their fangs and claws dulled to prevent them from being too dangerous.

But even weakened, they were still demons.

Jin Hwan watched as a man was thrown out of the warehouse, his body covered in claw marks. Blood dripped onto the pavement.

"Pathetic." One of the guards spat. "Couldn't even last a full round."

Jin Hwan exhaled sharply.

This place was perfect.

If he could find a weak enough demon, one he could take down alone, then he could start his ranking up process without stepping into a full-fledged Gate.

He stepped inside.

The arena was nothing more than a massive underground pit. The smell of sweat and blood was thick in the air. A metal cage stood in the center, lit by flickering floodlights. Inside the cage—

A horned creature stood over the remains of a man.

Its muscles were thin, its arms and legs covered in scars. Its eyes glowed faintly, its fangs dripping with blood.

A Lesser Imp.

It was one of the weakest demons—barely above a goblin in intelligence.

And yet, it had just torn apart a full-grown man.

The crowd cheered.

Bets were placed.

The next fighter was thrown into the pit.

Jin Hwan's fingers curled into a fist.

That one.

That was his first target.