Time passed uneventfully after the Jang Dong-pil incident.
Every day, Siwoo would wake up at dawn, exercise, then head straight to the Pyeongtaek Gate to collect petal powder. Evenings were spent at home, gathering information on Hunters and Kang Myung-jun. That was the entirety of his routine.
At a glance, his life seemed monotonous. But that didn't mean nothing had changed.
As time went on, his gathering skills improved, significantly increasing his collection speed. As a result, his yield grew so much that he eventually had to purchase a Hunter's storage bag. Under normal circumstances, such a purchase would have raised suspicions among the KHA staff. After all, a Hunter who consistently reported the same collection amount suddenly carrying a large bag would certainly stand out.
Fortunately, the only two employees stationed at the Pyeongtaek Gate, Nam Pyung-gil and Song Gwang-myung, didn't suspect Siwoo in the slightest. In fact, they went out of their way to check if he was comfortable, ensuring he wasn't facing any difficulties.
Good thing I got close to them, Siwoo thought, making a mental note to treat his considerate coworkers to soju sometime soon.
Then, a week passed.
A rustling sound woke Siwoo from his sleep.
At the same time, an alarm blared.
Beep—Beep—
Reaching out, he turned it off, chuckling to himself. At some point, waking up early had become second nature.
Feeling refreshed, he quickly changed into his workout clothes and stepped outside.
Creaaak—
A frigid gust of wind greeted him.
It was mid-February, after all. The biting cold still ruled the streets at dawn.
Siwoo exhaled deeply, watching his breath swirl in the air as he scanned his surroundings.
The reporters and recruitment agents from the Hunter Guild who had once camped outside his house were nowhere to be seen.
Looks like they've finally given up, he mused, nodding in satisfaction.
He had expected them to lose interest with time, and sure enough, his prediction had been spot-on.
Good. That means I'm slipping from people's memories faster than I thought.
Only one obstacle remained.
Kang Myung-jun… You're the last one.
Siwoo didn't need to turn around to know he was still being watched. His father had warned him about it.
Unlike Jang Sam-jung, who kept an eye on his family out of goodwill, Kang Myung-jun had people tailing him with a much different intent.
Siwoo clenched his fists, frustration boiling within him.
That persistent bastard!
But he quickly let out a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.
One day, you'll regret everything you've done.
Grinding his teeth, he started his morning run, focusing on his steps to clear his mind.
"Ugh! My wrist!"
Siyeon yelped, stumbling back after taking a clean hit from Siwoo's bamboo sword.
Watching from the side, their father, Jin-ho, nodded in approval.
"Well done! This time, it looks like Siwoo won."
"Yes!"
Siwoo felt a rush of excitement.
After over a week of losing to Siyeon, he had finally beaten her in a sparring match.
Sure, it had taken days of relentless training and countless defeats, but that didn't matter. He had overcome a small wall, and that was something worth celebrating.
"Wow, Oppa! You've really improved."
"Well, Hunters are supposed to grow fast."
"You're amazing. Seriously, your progress is unbelievable."
Despite it being praise from his younger sister, Siwoo couldn't help but puff out his chest a little. It felt good.
However, Jin-ho, ever the strict teacher, kept his tone firm. "You're certainly improving, but don't get complacent. A single victory means nothing. Get ready for another round."
Siwoo nodded, steadying his stance.
His father was right. One win wasn't enough.
Siyeon, equally determined, adjusted her grip on her sword. "This time, I won't let my guard down. Get ready, Oppa!"
"Bring it on!"
Siwoo let out a battle cry and launched his attack.
Instead of aiming for her head, as expected, he suddenly shifted his target.
"Waist!"
With precise timing, he struck Siyeon's open side.
Smack!
"Agh!"
The impact sent Siyeon stumbling forward.
"I… I lost again!"
From the sidelines, Jin-ho's booming voice echoed through the dojo.
"Siwoo! Victory!"
A clean win. His stamina, movements—everything had improved dramatically in just a week.
So this is the power of ranking up to D-Class…
Siwoo turned to his sister, who had already taken off her helmet with a grin.
"Wow… I don't think I can keep up with you anymore."
Instead of being upset, she looked genuinely happy about his growth.
Siwoo appreciated her support.
But then…
"Well, that's that. Siyeon, you're done. Now, it's my turn."
Heavy footsteps approached.
Jin-ho exuded an overwhelming presence as he stepped forward, gripping his bamboo sword.
Siwoo blinked. "Wait… again?"
Jin-ho smirked. "Of course. Now, it's time for our match."
"But I'm already exhausted…"
"Exactly! That's why this moment is crucial."
"But you've been standing around resting this whole time!"
"Cough! That's irrelevant! You've grown soft, my son. Prepare yourself!"
"Wow. Do you even hear yourself?"
"Nope! Take this! Head! Head! Wrist! Waist!"
"Wait—Ah! Hold on! I wasn't ready—Ack! Dad!"
"Haha! Trust me, son! This is for your own good!"
"For my what?!"
Smack—Smack—Smack!
Any satisfaction from his earlier victory quickly disappeared as Siwoo endured his father's merciless barrage.
"Ack! This isn't training—it's a beating!"
Later that day, Siwoo sat at his desk, rubbing his sore arms.
After breakfast, instead of heading to the Pyeongtaek Gate, he decided to visit KHA Headquarters to exchange his gathered petal powder for cash.
Sorting the powders by weight, he checked the total: 39kg collected over nine days. That equated to roughly three million won.
Not bad for just over a week of work.
However, there was a problem—he could only sell 10kg today.
As a newly awakened E-Class Hunter, KHA's records only reflected that amount.
The remaining 29kg? That required a different solution.
Siwoo picked up a thick stack of documents from his desk.
He had been searching for a way to access the underground market—the Hunter Black Market.
A place where unregistered goods and smuggled items were exchanged in secret.
To reach it, he needed a Gate Opener—a psychic-type Hunter capable of creating interdimensional pathways within Gates.
If only I knew one…
For now, though, all he could do was keep searching.