Damn Hunter Life 27

Damn Hunter Life Chapter 27

Right.

After Ja Hyeong-woo left, I finally organized the situation while buried in my blanket.

I awakened, didn’t I?

It’s still the early part of the original work, but I ended up awakening this early.

My head naturally started aching, so I closed my eyes. Successor training, stage conquest feedback meetings, interviews—all the things that would come rushing at me from now on came to mind one after another.

‘The path of hardship has opened wide.’

It was an awakening I was going to do anyway, but still, it would have been nice if I had awakened a few months later.

This is all because of that damn original work. Since I’ve already been severely betrayed once, I shouldn’t trust the dates mentioned in the original anymore. I’ll have to live always thinking about dealing with crises.

/Didn’t you want to awaken?

“I wanted to. I wanted to, but.”

/Did you want to receive only the rights of an awakened one without fulfilling the duties?

“Ah, get lost! My body’s already not well and now I’m getting lectured too.”

Of course, I have at least a small bit of conscience, so I’ll train and enter stages… and if necessary, I’m willing to run external gates too.

‘Come to think of it, now that I’ve finally awakened after all these twists and turns, does that mean my body will get healthier?’

Didn’t they say the original Gang-hyeon was this weak because his qi was blocked wrong due to not awakening?

Then now that everything has returned to normal, I should become at least as sturdy as a regular person.

With hopeful expectations, I quickly got down from the bed. However, the moment I stepped on the ground, my ankle felt like pudding and twisted so sharply I almost got a fracture.

“…My body just hasn’t recovered its strength yet. Yeah.”

I ordered two servings of cafeteria food to my residence and slowly pondered the future direction. As always, with my original work notes spread out.

‘And before that…’

Even for me, this matter required mental preparation.

I opened my phone, went to an internet portal site, and checked the outcome of the major accident I had caused.

But before I could properly look at the site, something caught my eye. There was one email.

The sender was Association Manager Park Yoon-seok. The content was within the expected range.

—

Congratulations on your awakening, Successor Gyeon Gang-hyeon.

We plan to formally greet you at the Association next Monday.

Take good care of your health and we’ll see you then.

By the way, what you did that day was truly magnificent.

We were very worried, but fortunately Successor Ja Hyeong-woo informed us of your recovery in advance, so we could feel at ease.

—

What’s with that last comment? Is he buttering me up in advance?

Anyway…

Considering the influence of Twelve Zodiac successors in South Korea, it wouldn’t have been excessive to imagine that all sites would still be plastered with articles about my awakening.

So I carefully searched for my name in the news article list…

“Huh?”

There were fewer articles with my name than I thought. There weren’t many Busan Gate articles either, and instead other topics were neatly filling the screen.

<Identity of Twelve Zodiac <Divine> Successor?>

Monkey successor Won Ha-ri.

A character who appears in the episode following the Busan Gate in the original work. Originally, she should have entered Hunter School this summer.

‘Right. Since the Busan Gate was moved up, Won Ha-ri’s awakening timing would inevitably be earlier than in the original too.’

For several months, people had been enjoying chewing up and tearing apart Gyeon Gang-hyeon in community comments, but when that scoundrel awakened and put them in an awkward position, the internet communities immediately turned their heads to the new face young successor who appeared just in time…

In just a few days, my achievements were buried.

“Buried! Yes!”

I clenched my fists and cheered loudly. There had never been a happier day than today.

‘Ha-ri! I don’t know you, but you’re the first successor as lovely as you!’

Then I started coughing and sat back down in my chair, coughing.

Wasn’t the earth attribute’s inherent physical characteristic ‘sturdiness’? I thought at least my body would improve once I awakened, but what’s this?

Since we’re on the topic, I should check what was added to the status window. Actually, I was confused about whether I had really awakened. Because my physical condition is like this.

Other Skill List

Ah, seeing that a skill category was created, something did change.

<Boundary Between Life and Death (Earth Attribute)>

The attribute automatically changed.

My heart felt satisfied. Most of all, I was glad that even though the status window was newly reorganized, the existing semi-awakened skill remained the same.

But then, what about the original water attribute?

“Squeaky.”

It was quiet. Even when I shook the back of my hand where the mouse seal had been imprinted, I didn’t feel any sensation like dipping my hand in cool water.

“Squeaky?”

Did he run away while I was sleeping? Well, he should have gone to Ja Hyeong-woo long ago.

I’m not disappointed, but it’s a bit unsettling now that he’s gone. His healing ability was useful.

‘No. Once I adapt to the earth attribute, my body will get stronger too. Then I won’t need it. It was originally Ja Hyeong-woo’s anyway.’

Why worry about someone who’s already gone? I just continued looking around the status window.

‘The skill I used in front of the gate…’

At the time, I had just seen the two characters ‘attack’ and recklessly drove it into the boss monster’s head. It’s amazing I didn’t die that day.

Here it is.

Attack Skill List

Successor skill names are usually created with keywords related to the person themselves.

I know about other successors’ skills from seeing the original work, but since Gang-hyeon is a character who died in the original, this is the first time I’m seeing this skill list too.

It would be a better name than ominous nonsense like ‘Boundary Between Life and Death’, right?

<Grave of the Dead (Earth Attribute)>—Intermediate

“Damn, it’s even more ominous!”

Even for someone who came back from the dead, isn’t this too much? Is the status window holding a ritual for me to die?

/It suits you perfectly.

While seriously considering whether to sprinkle salt on the status window, I thought about what would happen next.

Until now I had just been messing around for points, but now I thought I could properly do awakened-specific training.

Of course it would be tougher, and attribute training would be included too.

‘But wait? Then me.’

Two successors who happened to awaken around the same time.

The AI instructor at Hunter School probably wouldn’t bother separating these two, would they?

‘Will I be receiving joint training with Won Ha-ri?’

* * *

A successor training ground that looks like a physical education gym but built in traditional Korean style, giving it the feel of some martial arts master’s training hall.

I set foot there for the first time.

I wandered around the corridors for no reason, even going far from the place originally marked as my destination on the status window.

This place is very spacious compared to the number of people using it, so if you put your mind to it, you could avoid meeting anyone during training.

‘They’re all determined.’

Far from a welcome, the corridors were completely empty without even an ant.

I could clearly see what stance the successors led by Woo Sae-geon wanted to take toward the scoundrel successor who came after awakening now.

‘Because in the original work, several people came out to greet Won Ha-ri and escort her.’

Even after awakening, this is just the beginning.

While thinking that, I casually turned around, and behind a corner someone was hiding with just the top of their head sticking out.

“I saw everything.”

It wasn’t hair but Hae Mi-jun’s head feather decoration. Hearing my voice, Hae Mi-jun peeked his head out a bit more.

His eyes were teary. I could see right through him. Even though his mouth was tightly shut, he was practically speaking with his eyes.

‘Can’t I go next to you?’

If I said no, it wouldn’t be strange if he burst into tears right away.

Woo Sae-geon must have already warned him not to get close to me, but for that good kid to still act like this, I have to acknowledge his spirit.

‘Anyway, the relationship between me and Hae Mi-jun was probably exposed enough in front of the gate.’

“Yeah, come here.”

Hae Mi-jun’s face brightened.

The Twelve Zodiac’s second healer, whom I had once encouraged, came to stand in front of me with confident steps, no longer intimidated.

“Since we won’t be doing secret training just the two of us anymore, there won’t be much time to see you, hyung.”

“What can I do about you getting so good that you don’t need my help?”

I don’t know why Hae Mi-jun looks at me with such trusting eyes just because I helped him out a bit back then.

“It’s disappointing that we can’t do joint training because our fields are different. I’m a healer and Gang-hyeon hyung is a dealer… ah, you’re a tanker.”

Hae Mi-jun clapped his hand over his mouth as if that was some big slip of the tongue.

Seeing his round eyes, my mischievous side kicked in as always.

“Do I look like I can’t be a tanker? Like I’d fly to the opposite side if I got hit once?”

“No! No, ugh…”

Not knowing what to do and turning red, Hae Mi-jun eventually muttered “I’m sorry…” and lowered his head.

This guy is really consistent. He has no wit to get through situations by being cheeky, and no tricks at all…

Unconsciously, my hand went up. I pushed aside the feather decoration and patted Hae Mi-jun’s head.

Hae Mi-jun flinched and then opened his mouth to look up at me.

“You treated me when I was hurt, right? And you caught me when I collapsed in front of the gate too. Thank you.”

His open mouth got even bigger. He looked so stupid I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Stop goofing off and go inside.”

He probably snuck out briefly while with Ja Hyeong-woo. Hae Mi-jun stood there dazed for a while longer, and only seemed to come to his senses when I turned around first. Hae Mi-jun shouted loudly at my back.

His voice seemed to tremble slightly for some reason.

“I’ll really train hard! So that I can treat Gang-hyeon hyung anytime you’re hurt…”

It’s a bit embarrassing to be seen as an intensive care target by the kid.

“What more are you going to work hard at from where you are?”