Damn Hunter Life 2

There was a deep intention behind Gyeon Gang-hyeon’s decision to deliberately pour cold water on what could have been a warm restaurant atmosphere if left alone.

‘The kids are praising me too much. I’m giving you a preventive shot to help you come to your senses.’

He said this because he had watched in frustration as some successors in the original work got cocky from students’ praise and were severely injured in the next wave.

While he was trying to provoke them, he was also sincere about thinking the strategy time had taken too long.

Gyeon Gang-hyeon could say this with certainty since he knew the original work’s content up to the mid-to-late stages.

‘If they knew how brutal the waves that come later are, they wouldn’t be able to just sit around eating like that Ja Hyeong-woo.’

Since the current situation was from Chapter 1, all the characters including the protagonist were beginners, so it couldn’t be helped.

“We have a long way to go, but if we spend hours on just Stage 25…”

Even if Gyeon Gang-hyeon said this, the students would just sneer anyway. What would that drunkard know?

But Ja Hyeong-woo, being a successor, would have his pride wounded.

First, it would just be the ramblings of a drunkard, so there’d be no suspicion that Gyeon Gang-hyeon’s soul had changed.

Second, it would stimulate the original protagonist to train even harder.

It was a perfect plan.

For the next step, Gyeon Gang-hyeon immediately relaxed his eyes. He dropped his arms on the table with a thud and dragged out his pronunciation.

“Nooo, I mean. You’re such fucking great successors, so why did it take six hours…”

Though he was acting drunk while completely sober, Gyeon Gang-hyeon thought for a moment that he had quite a talent for acting.

The deflated students sighed. Of course. When would that successor’s disgrace not be drunk and disorderly? He had been acting normal until just now, but even that seemed to have been drunken behavior. Some students blushed with embarrassment over Gyeon Gang-hyeon.

“Hah.”

The tension also left Ja Hyeong-woo’s hardened face, replaced only by feelings of disappointment.

/Now I have no choice but to say something.

Ja Hyeong-woo dismissed the status window that was tactlessly fanning the flames.

The students sent desperate looks to Ja Hyeong-woo. Please kick out that Gyeon Gang-hyeon. Ja Hyeong-woo felt the same way. His mission right now was to quickly get that person out of the restaurant so he’d stop being drunk and disorderly and quietly return to his quarters.

Ja Hyeong-woo, who had paused the screen video, lifted up his completely cleaned food tray.

“Gyeon Gang-hyeon, follow me out.”

* * *

Speaking of Ja Hyeong-woo, despite being the current protagonist, he looked exactly like a Silla Dynasty hwarang. This was due to the hunter imagery that borrowed from Eastern zodiac materials.

On top of that, he was fully dressed in hwarang clothes, which were hunter uniforms, and dragged me to a nearby pavilion in the most conspicuous manner possible, so the students’ gazes were bound to focus on us.

‘What the hell is this bastard trying to curse me out for that he dragged me out here?’

Considering the relationship between Ja Hyeong-woo and Gyeon Gang-hyeon mentioned in the original work, I’d be lucky if he doesn’t grab me by the collar.

The first action of the original protagonist sitting upright across the table was—

‘…Huh?’

A long staff with blue waves rippling appeared in Ja Hyeong-woo’s hand. It was a healer’s staff imbued with the power of water among the five elements.

Why is a combat weapon coming out now?

Ja Hyeong-woo poked my forehead with the tip of that staff.

<Hovenia Dulcis Sap (Water Attribute)>

Uses remaining: 3

Effect: Completely eliminates all hangovers.

“Now you can speak properly.”

Uh… this is a bit troublesome.

Until now, I could make risky statements because I was hiding behind the shield of alcohol.

What’s going to protect me from my own statements now?

My body became refreshed against my will. Ja Hyeong-woo put the staff back into his inventory.

“Sit up straight.”

Then he immediately started criticizing my sitting posture. He was as inflexible as he looked.

Not only did I not listen to him, I even bent my eyebrows crookedly.

When he pushed aside his black durumagi, the blue vest-like jeogori he wore underneath was revealed.

Honestly, the visuals are decent. It’s not for nothing that the Twelve Zodiac hunters’ personal combat uniforms were set as special functional hanbok.

In contrast, I’m just… the material of a skinny young master wastrel who drinks heavily and frequents brothels?

“Why are your clothes like that? Your outer garment.”

Ja Hyeong-woo’s eyes swept over me like I was an animal.

Is this guy also a underwear=pants supporter? Like the status window?

Don’t make me laugh. If underwear is pants, then why are you wearing briefs under your hanbok? I saw it all in the original work.

I chose to ignore him. Since a long conversation would only be disadvantageous to me, let’s just get to the point simply.

“What do you want to say?”

The conversation from now on wasn’t in the original work at all.

Because in the original work, Gyeon Gang-hyeon was already dead, and Ja Hyeong-woo wouldn’t have the ability to talk to dead people.

At most, he could have left some final words over dead Gyeon Gang-hyeon’s body.

Ja Hyeong-woo pressed his visibly tired eyelids with his fingers.

“I’m thinking I called you out here for nothing.”

Who’s he trying to fool?

But soon, anger filled Ja Hyeong-woo’s eyes visible between his fingers.

“This stage was really difficult. Seol-woon almost got hurt again even though he’s already injured and went into the gate. You know?”

“You mean the Dragon successor? Is it such a big deal for an earth attribute tanker to get hurt?”

I first spat out a shameless line.

Thinking about it carefully, there was good provocative material to further stimulate Ja Hyeong-woo’s competitive spirit.

“No. When comrades get hurt, it’s because of the healer. Because the healer’s abilities are insufficient.”

I just told one of the most talented healers among the successors that ‘you’re insufficient.’ An unawakened successor, how dare I.

A deadly chill flowed over the table. Ja Hyeong-woo’s piercing cold gaze stabbed like an arrow.

“I’m talking about you right now.”

Ja Hyeong-woo, who calmly turned the subject to me, finally brought up the main point.

“How can you say such things? And in front of other students? Aren’t you ashamed? What do you know about combat…! You have no experience and do nothing, so what right do you have to give advice?”

“What did I say? I was drunk so I don’t remember.”

Even I think I’m irritatingly obnoxious right now.

Still, I had laid out my sleeping mat after checking where I’d lie down. If it had been another successor instead of Ja Hyeong-woo across from me, I wouldn’t have scratched at his insides this much. I could really die.

Whether I pretended not to know or not, Ja Hyeong-woo continued with what he wanted to say. His deeply accumulated resentment seemed to pour out relentlessly with his words.

“Fine, let’s say the successors’ performance is lackluster. Do you know whose fault that is? Do you really think it’s because of me?”

So this topic finally comes up.

I look directly at Ja Hyeong-woo’s distorted face.

“If you hadn’t made that stupid mistake back then… It’s all your fault. If only you had been in the strategy team, if only you had awakened, others would be having less difficulty than this.”

He should have awakened long ago. But Gyeon Gang-hyeon made a ‘big mistake’ that damaged his body and missed his awakening opportunity.

Fellow comrades and outsiders alike criticized Gyeon Gang-hyeon. With his body in poor condition and others’ criticism pouring down on him, the original Gyeon Gang-hyeon gave up on everything. Driven mad by frustration, he became a drunk.

Looking only up to this point, he’d seem pitiful, but since he’s been causing trouble and making mischief everywhere for months without a single apology, even the sympathy that existed has disappeared.

This is exactly the kind of character I’ve possessed.

“Please have some shame.”

I watched Ja Hyeong-woo hold his forehead without giving any particular response.

Other hunters treat Gyeon Gang-hyeon as if he doesn’t exist, but Ja Hyeong-woo was different. He persistently sought him out and got on Gyeon Gang-hyeon’s nerves.

In other words, Ja Hyeong-woo was the only one who didn’t give up on Gyeon Gang-hyeon until the end. Until Gyeon Gang-hyeon died.

‘Actually, in the current situation, he’s almost the only one on my side…’

It lacks credibility to suddenly declare ‘I’ll reform from now on’ here.

And I still have things to do in this scoundrel state.

So I’m sorry, but I’ll have to disappoint Ja Hyeong-woo again this time.

“You said it’s difficult because of me. But it would still be less difficult than if I actually died, right?”

At that moment, a cracking sound came from under Ja Hyeong-woo’s hand placed on the table.

“Are you threatening me?”

“It’s just a hypothetical.”

I was a bit scared. I imagined that hand grabbing my bones.

Ja Hyeong-woo seemed too disgusted to talk anymore, putting his durumagi back on after just 5 minutes.

“There’s nothing to expect from you. You’re disappointing.”

I’m also curious. I wonder if there’s anyone in the work that Gyeon Gang-hyeon hasn’t disappointed.

Ja Hyeong-woo’s cold gaze, who was about to leave, pierced into me for some time.

The original work that begins in earnest after Gyeon Gang-hyeon dies.

In the work, Ja Hyeong-woo occasionally misses his past with Gyeon Gang-hyeon. Even when seeing hallucinations due to gate monsters’ actions, he recalls his childhood with Gyeon Gang-hyeon.

Still, the two had a pretty good relationship when they were young. Since childhood friends both became successors, those around them had high expectations.

However, their relationship became strained when Ja Hyeong-woo awakened first while Gyeon Gang-hyeon remained a poor student. More precisely, it was right that Gyeon Gang-hyeon unilaterally abandoned Ja Hyeong-woo.

“The current you would die immediately just from being grazed by a monster’s claws. Keep living pathetically like that. Reeking of alcohol.”

Whether the harsh words pierced my ears or not, I briefly had other thoughts.

‘If Gyeon Gang-hyeon doesn’t die… how much will the original work change?’

However, one thing is certain.

Gyeon Gang-hyeon’s death was both trauma and a growth point for Ja Hyeong-woo.

But I didn’t die. Since my death is absent and Ja Hyeong-woo won’t be able to grow one stage, I should take responsibility for this.

“Hey, you little rat.”

The protagonist who was about to exit turned toward me. His straight eyes were sharp.

“I’ll absolutely never die. You take care of your own business. You healer bastard whose healing sucks.”

I’ll growl at him every time we meet and thoroughly make him uncomfortable. That way, I’ll make that bastard grow even if it’s out of anger.

Ja Hyeong-woo let out a low sigh between his teeth and glared at me fiercely. He left with his durumagi fluttering.

Okay, provocation complete.

* * *

Turns out successors could order from the restaurant to their homes.

No wonder everyone was staring when I went to the restaurant.

Thanks to that, I solved lunch and dinner at my hideout without going out. Even though I was holed up all day doing nothing, I was busy in my own way.

‘I need to write down all the Twelve Zodiac abilities I can remember.’

It was a novel with excessive settings. Skills divided by the five element attributes could be modified, researched, and combined in various branches.

‘This information is my only backing and wealth.’

I can’t keep living as a scoundrel. Later I’ll have to renovate my image and join that Twelve Zodiac group to fight together.

‘That way I can receive a pension when I retire later.’

If I keep living like this, the country won’t give me a penny. It’s fine now while I’m at hunter school, but what if I turn 24 and get kicked out of hunter school for being over age? I’ll be penniless.

So there’s only one goal here.

Work my ass off now to secure a pension after retirement.

’22, 23, 24 years old. Only 3 years left.’

So the point is, for my old age, it would be good to awaken even now.

“But how do I awaken? It’s random in the end.”

/Live a regular life and earnestly pray to heaven.

“Ah shit, who asked you? Are you Siri? Why do you keep popping up?”

Anyway, since the status window popped up, I had some business to do with it.

<Stage Replay>

You can rewatch past strategy videos.

[UP] STAGE 25

―[UP] Feedback meeting video

Even if I couldn’t join the Twelve Zodiac feedback meeting, I couldn’t just sit still. I had to study and keep up on my own.

Would you like to play?

“Yeah.”

I spread out the notebook where I’d written down the original work’s settings and watched it together with the video. My eyes busily followed the combat.

“Isn’t there a summary version? Someone edit it.”

It was quite an ordeal since it was 6 hours long.

And the next video was the feedback briefing that successors always held after finishing a strategy… this was a video that non-Twelve Zodiac people couldn’t watch.

But I could peek since I was a successor.

In the video, people in colorful hanbok sat around a round table. The meeting was centered around Woo Sae-geon, the eldest and tanker leader who was the Ox successor, and main healer Ja Hyeong-woo.

Everyone was talking about who did well, who made mistakes, how the 5-person limit made things difficult this time, but watching it, I had only one thought.

‘The combination was wrong from the start.’

The first gate and the S-rank gate ‘Stage’ that would never close.

This first gate was different from dungeon entrances that opened randomly around the world. Stage was in game format, and the penalty for failed strategies was severe. Probably enough to blow away the entire hunter school?

Anyway, befitting the name of being in game format, Stage provided advance information to strategy personnel like this.

<STAGE 25>

Appearing Monster: Eoduksini (C-rank)

Personnel Limit: 5

Eoduksini was a yokai that feeds on human fear and was a ghost that hides in darkness.

So they seemed to have responded by putting fire attributes in the lead…

‘They need to break free from the fixed notion that all attributes should be evenly distributed to make progress. Make more aggressive monster-targeting combinations.’

After watching all the feedback videos, I manipulated the status window to delete my viewing records and escaped. No one would have seen.

If they heard that Gyeon Gang-hyeon watched such videos, they’d immediately find it suspicious.

* * *

Gyeon Gang-hyeon erased his traces and disappeared quite quickly…

But coincidentally, there was another successor looking at the status window at that moment.

He was rewatching the feedback video for the fifth time in his dark room when he discovered the record being deleted. A surprised voice cut through the darkness.

“Gyeon Gang-hyeon… hyung?”