THE VIKI YOUNG
"MAMA, they said you got into an accident— so I followed those guys!"
Pfft.
If Viki weren't trying to scold her children, she would have laughed out loud because of what Do Eunwoo— the red-haired kid— said as an excuse for following the kidnappers willingly.
They fell for the oldest trick in the book.
Anyway, according to her children's story, two Hunters approached them after their vocal and dance lessons at the Future Stars Academy— a school located in Namwon City, an hour of bus ride away from home.
To be precise, the kidnappers approached the two youngest first— Do Eunwoo and Yu Gamin.
None of the kids were hurt, but Viki had to act strict since it was still a big deal.
That was why the children were kneeling in front of her while she was sitting on her favorite chair— a fancy swivel chair that looked so out of place in that humble restaurant— so she had to keep a straight face.
Or else, these kids will think getting kidnapped by Hunters is just child's play.
Anyways, the kidnappers were "sleeping" uncomfortably "somewhere" at the moment.
"Mama, I-I'm sorry," Yu Gamin, the black-haired kid and also the youngest, said with his head hanging low as if he were ashamed. "I know the guys are suspicious, and I know that we should have tried calling you first. But I just followed Eunwoo
"Gamin-ah, don't apologize! You tried to stop me, but I didn't listen to you!" Do Eunwoo said while patting Yu Gamin's back. "Everything is my fault!"
"It sure is!" Chae Baam— the pink-haired kid— yelled angrily while smacking the back of Do Eunwoo's head. "Why did you follow those jerks without even confirming if Mama really got into an accident or not, you idiot?! What's the use of your phone, huh?! You idiot! Big idiot!"
Pfft.
Chae Baam's vocabulary of bad words is so limited.
Do Eunwoo could only whine while being "beaten up" by Chae Baam.
It looks violent, but Chae Baam isn't hitting Do Eunwoo hard.
"Do Eunwoo and Yu Gamin are our two maknaes, so I can go easy on them," Viki said, causing the kids to suddenly shut their mouths and straighten their backs while still kneeling. "But what's the hyungs' excuse for being kidnapped willingly?"
Han Nora, Nam Juno, and Chae Baam— the three oldest kids— all flinched.
"As the oldest among my siblings, I take full responsibility, Mama," Han Nora— the yellow-haired kid and the prettiest among Viki's children— said while bowing his head. "When I saw Do Eunwoo and Yu Gamin following those Hunters, I knew immediately that they were being kidnapped. But instead of saving the maknaes, I convinced Juno and Baam to follow the kids and get kidnapped with them."
"But why?"
"Because getting kidnapped sounds fun, Mama."
Aigoo.
Han Nora looks the most put together among my kids, but he's definitely the most unhinged.
"I'm sorry, Mama," Chae Baam said, acting meekly after "beating up" Do Eunwoo. "I have no power against Juno Hyung and Nora Hyung. I just do as I'm told."
Right.
Because Chae Baam is the youngest among the hyung line.
"But I'm the one in charge of the maknaes," Chae Baam continued, still lamenting. "So, I should have at least taught them better than to follow strangers with obvious ill intentions. I'm really sorry for my passiveness, Mama. Please don't punish Do Eunwoo and Yu Gamin. I'll take their punishment instead."
Aww.
Do Eunwoo and Yu Gamin looked touched as they turned to Chae Baam with teary eyes. "Baam Hyung…"
Pfft.
Are my kids shooting a youth drama?
"No one else should be punished but me, Mama."
Aigoo.
Now it was Nam Juno— the blue-haired kid— trying to take accountability for the kidnapping.
Let's hear what the leader has to say.
"I understand Han Nora's reasoning for wanting to be kidnapped willingly since your oldest hyung is a bit crazy."
Han Nora blushed, then he put a hand over his chest and bowed like a prince. "You're making me blush, Mama."
"That wasn't a compliment, but whatever," Viki said, ignoring Han Nora's cheekiness. And then she focused on Nam Juno— the only person serious in that room. "Juno-ya, I made you the leader of the group because I trust your leadership skills. So, tell me. Why did you let those Hunters kidnap you? You could have stopped Han Nora since Han Nora listens to you, right?"
"Yes, Mama. I could have prevented the kidnapping from happening," Nam Juno said while nodding. "But I chose not to because I'm curious as to why those Hunters wanted to kidnap us. Since we're pretending to be Civilians, I could only think of one reason why we were targeted."
Right?
The reason could only be me.
"So, I wanted to know what those kidnappers needed from you, Mama."
"Did you find out what it is then?"
"It's the same as usual— those bad Hunters want Lucky Viki, just like the other Hunters who tried to kidnap you before, Mama."
As expected.
Who wouldn't want an S-Grade vehicle that could hide you from A-Grade monsters?
"Alright, good job," Viki said, praising her son. One should give credit when credit is due, after all. But that didn't mean the scolding was over. "But if I didn't ask you to come home, what were you planning to do?"
"I thought we could take care of the bad Hunters quietly, Mama," Nam Juno said casually. "They're just an A-Class and B-Class Hunters, after all."
Pfft.
There was no ounce of arrogance when Nam Juno said that— the blue-haired kid was simply stating a fact.
And that was what made his statement funnier.
All S-Class Hunters— whether they are natural or not— are treated like gods. On the other hand, A-Class Hunters are treated like kings, while A-Class Hunters are treated like VIPs anywhere in the world.
And there was a reason for that.
A-Class and B-Class Hunters were the only Hunters, aside from S-Class Hunters, who could raid dungeons on their own.
And, based on my research, the current A-Class and B-Class Hunters of today are equipped to clear Lairs even without the presence of an S-Class Hunter— just like how Quack-ssi's team was only composed of A-Class and B-Class Hunters.
In short, A-Class and B-Class Hunters were already extraordinary beings.
Yet, for my kids, they are "just" A-Class and B-Class Hunters.
Well, to be fair, Viki understood very well.
Natural S-Class Hunters like us see other Hunters as "just" Hunters while we see ourselves as gods.
But, as a 'fallen god,' that feeling was long forgotten to her.
"Mama, we're so sorry…"
Viki snapped out of her thoughts when her alien babies apologized to her once again.
"They also found out that we're not Civilians," Han Nora said, bowing his head. "Because I used my Spatial Magic."
Right.
Han Nora could use Spatial Magic— hence, he could teleport and open portals.
"It's alright. I was the one who asked you to come home anyway," Viki said, getting up from her seat. "Stay here and eat the pyongyang naengmyeon I made for you— I'm just going to deal with your kidnappers."
***
AS AHN NAVI, she was known as the Hunter with the biggest Inventory of all Hunters.
It was so big that her family's old two-story mansion fit inside— including the garden.
And the best part?
Electricity, water, and Wi-fi are all running inside.
So, it was like having a private dungeon.
In the past, only 'Ahn Navi' could enter her Inventory.
But that was almost a hundred years ago.
That limitation doesn't exist now.
"I knew you couldn't be a mere F-Class Hunter."
Viki smiled at what the Korean-American Hunter named Josh said.
One of the kidnappers was the B-Class Hunter whom she met a few days ago.
The ignorant bastard even brought an A-Class Hunter with him.
He looks like a Westerner?
Yes, Viki "threw" the two kidnappers in her Inventory.
So, right now, the three of them were in the living room of her family's old two-story house.
Now let's check who these bastards are.
The (unwanted) guests' Status Windows appeared in front of her.
Yes, I can see other Hunters' Status Windows as long as they're inferior to me.
She was special like that.
[Name: William Alberts
Level: A-Class
Main Ability: Enhance Physical Strength, Transformation]
Oh, nice.
Hunters who can transform are not that usual.
And the other one…
[Name: Josh Colt
Level: B-Class
Main Ability: Sharp Eyes, Monsters' Anatomy]
"This is impossible," the A-Class Hunter said in English while looking around. "There's no Hunter in this world who has an Inventory as big as this— not even Hunter Won Yiwon has an Inventory like this one."
Aigoo.
Viki felt nostalgic after hearing the familiar name, but not enough to get her distracted.
"I told you— that woman can't possibly be an F-Class Hunter!" Hunter Josh said, frustrated, while speaking in English. "We have to use her skill at all costs—"
"Shut up, mate."
That was what Viki wanted to say, but she wasn't the one who blurted that out.
"William—"
"Had I known the person you wanted to mess with me is someone like this young lady, I wouldn't have agreed with your plan," Hunter William Alberts said. "I'm out."
"William!"
"You've only awakened three years ago, and your skills make you more of a researcher than a Hunter," William Alberts said, scoffing. "You can't tell what a monster is, even if it bites you in the face."
Aigoo.
I'm already keeping things low-key, and yet, I still seem like a monster to some veteran Hunters I've encountered ever since I started living as Viki Young.
"I don't bite," Viki whined lightly, in English. "I'm not a scary person."
William Alberts chuckled as if he didn't believe Viki, and then he raised his hands. "I surrender. I'll get on my knees to apologize if you want to. Just please spare my life, young lady."
"Hey, William—"
Hunter Josh wasn't able to finish what he was about to say because Hunter William grabbed the former by the back of his head, and then Hunter William forced Hunter Josh to bow his head.
Of course, Hunter William also bowed.
"I'm not used to bowing, but I feel like I'm going to lose my head if I don't do this," Hunter William said. "Please let our rudeness slide this one time. I swear we will never show up in front of you or those kids again."
Heh.
Viki smirked because she found that "apology' funny. "You won't be able to do that even if you want to, silly."
And then she snapped her fingers.
Hunter William and Hunter Josh raised their heads.
The clueless Hunter Josh just looked around, dumbfounded, when the environment changed.
Now they were in a greenhouse full of huge trees and plants.
"Terrarium? This feels like the real thing and not an imitation. But how?" Hunter William asked in disbelief, and then his eyes widened a bit while looking at Viki. "Hunter Ahn Na—"
"Shh," Viki said, putting a finger on her nose. "Don't call me by my dead name."
***
"NOONA!"
"Unnie!"
Aigoo.
When Viki returned to the restaurant with Hunter Josh and Hunter William trapped inside a huge Glass Jar behind her, the people who greeted her weren't her children.
"Noona, you didn't kill them, did you?"
Viki scoffed because she was so fed up with people being scared of her when she was just chilling there. "They didn't harm my babies, so I spared them."
Oh Sion, an A-Class Hunter, looked relieved.
"Unnie, you did well holding back your temper. I'm so proud of you."
This time, Viki rolled her eyes. "Eunbi-ya, I'm not a child who can't control her temper."
Choi Eunbi just smiled awkwardly.
Ah, these kids, really…
Haaah.
Viki wanted to be upset, but she had a soft spot for Oh Sion and Choi Eunbi.
After all, these two kids had a connection to Ahn Navi before she 'died.'
Oh Sion was the nosy child I saved after the grocery store was swallowed up by a Sinkhole, while Choi Eunbi was the teenager whom I met at the airport before I faced the Second Calamity.
Yep, those kids were grown adults now.
By a funny twist of fate, it was Oh Sion and Choi Eunbi who helped Viki and her alien babies adjust after they returned to that world.
That's another story, though.
***
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