In a small apartment in Jongno District, Anas Sharif Yazeed sat on the modest sofa, contemplating the world around him. Hours had passed since he awoke in this body, and since he modified his stats and added his new skills. He could feel the body adapting, the muscles responding, the energy flowing through his veins like a raging river.
He looked out the window at the gray sky of Seoul.
Anas: (Contemplating) "A world full of hunters and gates... how did all this begin? How did these powers appear?"
He closed his eyes for a moment, and his thoughts turned to the memories he inherited from the body's owner. They weren't just ordinary memories, but a complete encyclopedia of this world's history. He began to recall them slowly...
---
Four years ago...
It was an ordinary day in Seoul. The sun was shining, people were at work, life was proceeding as usual.
Then everything changed.
At two o'clock in the afternoon local time, the color of the sky suddenly turned crimson red. Not the red of sunset, but a bloody, deep red, instilling terror. People stopped in the streets, raised their heads to the sky, astonishment etched on their faces.
Then the cracks appeared.
Strange cracks, as if the sky were a shattering glass. They appeared everywhere in the world at the same moment. Above cities, above villages, above oceans, above deserts. The sky cracked like a broken mirror, and people watched in indescribable horror.
And inside them... gates.
Mysterious gates, of different colors, floating in the air where the cracks had been. They remained still, silent, not moving, not making a sound. They were like eyes watching the world in utter silence.
Three days passed. The gates were still.
Six days. Nothing.
Ten days. The same silence.
Fifteen full days of anticipation, fear, and panic.
Then came the day of "The End."
KRA-KOOOOOOM!
The majority of the gates in the world exploded at almost the same time. They shattered, tore apart, and then the monsters emerged. Creatures unlike anything humans had ever seen. Monsters of various sizes and shapes, some crawling, some flying, some walking on two feet like humans but with terrifying faces.
The massacres began.
ROOOAR! The roar of a massive monster destroying an entire building.
SCREEEECH! The screech of a flying monster snatching people from the streets.
HSSSSS! The hiss of crawling creatures filling the alleys.
Hundreds of millions of humans died that day. Entire cities were wiped from existence. Nations collapsed. Armies fell. Humans had no chance against these creatures.
And in the midst of this destruction, amidst the blood, screams, and fire, the unexpected happened.
The powers awakened.
VRRRROOOOM!
Some heard a strange sound in their heads, and mysterious blue windows appeared before their eyes, like those seen in video games.
```
[SYSTEM ALERT: Awakening power activated]
[Congratulations! You are now a hunter]
[Open the status window to know your rank and abilities]
```
Thus began the era of hunters.
And with them appeared other mysterious entities. Entities claiming divinity. They called themselves the "Kings of Gates." Each had their name, title, and authority, but they agreed on one thing: that they were gods, and that humans must follow them.
The Crimson King: (In his first appearance) "I am the lord of the crimson gates. Follow me and gain power."
The Silver King: (In his speech) "Whoever worships me, I will grant them skills that no one else possesses."
The Black King: (In his mysterious silence) "I am the strongest. I am the one and only."
Some people truly believed in them, saw them as gods worthy of worship. Some considered them merely powerful masters to follow for benefit. And some hated them and refused to follow them, but they were forced to deal with them because they controlled the strongest gates.
From that day on, the world was divided into two parts: ordinary humans, and hunters.
A classification system was established, measuring the strength of each hunter:
E, F, D, C, C+, B-, B, B+, A-, A, A+, S-, S, S+, SS-, SS, SS+, SSS
And in the entire world, there were only 14 hunters at the SSS rank. Only fourteen people possessed immense power that no one else could match.
As for the gates, they were classified by their colors, from weakest to strongest:
White, Gray, Blue, Yellow, Green, Red, Purple, Crimson, Violet, Silver, Gold, Black.
The white gate is the easiest; a beginner hunter can enter it. As for the black gate... no one knows what's inside it. No one has entered it and returned.
---
Anas: (Opening his eyes) "A complex world... but interesting. Kings of Gates claiming divinity..."
He smiled.
Anas: "This will be entertaining."
He rose from the sofa and headed towards the window. He contemplated the city from above. Then suddenly, he stopped.
Anas: "Wait..."
He remembered something. In the memories of the old Anas, there was someone else. A small, beautiful person, waiting for him.
Anas: "My daughter."
The memories struck hard. A small face, an innocent laugh, forgotten words. She always waited for him at the end of the day. She called him "Dad" with her sweet voice. She was...
Anas: "Nayun. Nayun Yazeed."
The card. In his memory, he saw her name: Park Nayun. But she also bore his surname, according to Korean customs. Nayun Yazeed. Five years old. At the kindergarten now. Waiting for her father to come get her.
He looked at the clock. Three in the afternoon. Kindergarten ending time.
Anas: "I must go."
But... what father goes to a daughter he hasn't seen in two days? A daughter whose father left after a suicide attempt? A daughter who doesn't know that her father has become someone else?
Anas: (To himself) "I'll go. I'll see this child. I'll discover... what she means to this body."
He headed towards the door. He paused for a moment, then opened it and left.
---
On the way to the kindergarten, Anas moved with incredible speed. He wasn't walking, he was darting like an arrow. He used the "Lightning Flash" skill lightly, just to move faster than ordinary humans without being noticed.
People would see a quick flash and a passing shadow, then it would disappear before they realized what they saw.
Anas: (As he moves) "These skills are truly enjoyable. But I must get used to them gradually."
He arrived at the kindergarten in mere minutes. It was a small building, its facade brightly colored, painted with cute cartoon characters. In front of the door, some parents had gathered waiting for their children.
Anas paused for a moment, calmed his speed, then headed towards the door.
He entered.
---
Suddenly, silence fell.
All conversations stopped. All movements stopped. All breaths stopped.
Everyone looked at the man who had just entered.
Anas stood at the entrance, with his short white hair gleaming under the kindergarten lights. His gray eyes were deep, piercing everyone who looked at him. His white skin was radiant, pure, as if the sun had never touched it. His features were indescribably harmonious, not handsome in the traditional sense, but intriguing and attractive. His stance was confident, calm, as if the whole world didn't concern him.
One Mother: (Whispering to her neighbor) "Who is this?"
The Other Mother: (Stunned) "I don't know... but he's... so handsome."
One Father: (Staring) "This man... it's as if he came out of a dream."
A Small Child: (Pointing his finger) "Mommy, look! The man's hair is white! Is he snow?"
Another Girl: (Innocently) "He looks like the prince in bedtime stories!"
One of the Young Teachers: (Her hands trembling slightly) "Oh my... who is this?"
Another Teacher: (Observing) "I've never seen him before. Is he the father of one of the children?"
Anas approached the reception desk calmly. He looked at the female clerk sitting behind it, a woman in her thirties, staring at him with her mouth slightly open.
Anas: (In a quiet voice) "Hello. I want my daughter."
The Clerk: (Stammering) "You... you... your... your daughter?"
Anas: (Calmly) "Yes. What is her name?"
The Clerk: (Looking at him without blinking) "I... I don't know... who are you?"
Anas: "I am Anas Sharif Yazeed. Father of a girl here named Nayun Yazeed."
Silence reigned for a moment. Then the clerk finally moved, flipping through the attendance register with trembling fingers.
The Clerk: "Na... Nayun Yazeed? Yes... yes, she is here. In class three."
Anas: "Where is class three?"
The Clerk: (Pointing with her trembling hand) "At... at the end of the hallway on the left."
Anas: "Thank you."
He smiled a faint smile. That smile almost knocked the clerk off her chair.
The Clerk: (Whispering to herself after he left) "Oh my... that smile... I'm going to die."
Anas walked down the hallway. On either side, mothers and fathers were watching, and children stopped playing to look at him. It was as if a king had entered a kingdom of children.
He reached class three. He stood at the door. Through the glass, he saw small children playing, and a young teacher in her twenties sitting among them.
He opened the door and entered.
The Young Teacher: (Looked at him, froze in place) "You... who..."
Anas: (Calmly) "I am Nayun Yazeed's father. I've come to take her."
The Young Teacher: (Standing with difficulty, swaying slightly) "Nayun... Nayun? Yes... yes, she is here. One moment, please."
She turned to the children, raising her voice with difficulty:
The Teacher: "Nayun... Nayun Yazeed... come here."
From among the children, a small girl moved.
Nayun was five years old, but her beauty was exceptional. Her hair was long, black, soft as silk, flowing over her small shoulders. Her wide eyes were hazel in color, sparkling like stars in a clear sky. Her skin was fair and fresh, her cheeks rosy like two small apples. She wore a simple red dress and small white shoes. When she moved, it was as if a butterfly was fluttering.
The Teacher: (Bending towards Nayun) "Nayun... your father has come to take you."
Nayun: (Looking around innocently) "Where is my father?"
The Teacher: (Pointing to Anas) "He's there... this is your father."
Nayun looked at Anas.
She was silent.
She stared at him with her wide eyes.
She looked at his white hair.
At his gray eyes.
At his radiant face.
At his imposing stance.
She stepped back.
Nayun: (In a frightened voice) "No... this is not my father."
The Teacher: "Nayun, this is really your father. Remember... Anas... Anas Yazeed."
Nayun: (Shaking her head vigorously) "No! My father isn't like this! My father's hair is black! My father's face is tired! My father's eyes are sad! This... this is someone else!"
Anas: (Taking a step towards her calmly) "Nayun..."
Nayun: (Trembling) "Don't come near me! You're not my father! Where is my real father?!"
Anas: (Crouching down in front of her, to be at her eye level) "Nayun... I am your father. I changed a little, that's true. But I am me."
Nayun: (Looking at him, tears gathering in her eyes) "How did you change? Why is your hair white? Why are you... you so beautiful? My father wasn't beautiful!"
Anas: (Smiled a warm smile) "Was I ugly before?"
Nayun: (Thinking for a moment) "No... you weren't ugly. You were... you were my father. But now you're... different."
Anas: "You know, Nayun? Sometimes, people change. They grow, they improve, they become better. That's what happened with me."
Nayun: (Pointing to his hair) "But hair doesn't just turn white like this! Grandma's hair is white, but she's old!"
Anas: "I... went through a very difficult day yesterday. A day that made me think a lot. And in the end, I decided to change. To become better. For you."
Nayun: (Staring at him) "For me?"
Anas: "Yes. For you. Because you are the most important thing in my life."
Nayun: (Was silent for a moment, then took a step closer) "Do... do you remember the name of my favorite toy?"
Anas: (Remembering from the memories) "The pink teddy bear. You call him Bobo."
Nayun: (Takes another step closer) "And what did you use to tell me every night before sleep?"
Anas: "I used to say: Sleep, my princess, for tomorrow is a new day full of adventures."
Nayun: (Tears streaming down her cheeks) "And what did you do when I was scared?"
Anas: "I used to hug you and say: Don't be afraid, I'm here. I'll never leave you."
Nayun: (Runs towards him and hugs him tightly) "Father! It's really you! It's you!"
Anas: (Hugging her gently) "Yes, my little one. It's me. I've returned to you."
Nayun cried on his shoulder, and some of the affected teachers cried with her.
The Teacher: (Wiping her tears) "Oh my... this scene... so touching."
One Mother: "Look how he's holding her... as if she's his only treasure."
A Child from the back: "Mommy, why is Nayun crying?"
His Mother: "Because she's happy, my dear. Very happy."
After a few minutes, Nayun separated from Anas and looked at him.
Nayun: (Touching his hair) "Your hair is really white... but it's so soft!"
Anas: (Laughing) "Do you like it?"
Nayun: "Yes! Now you look like the prince in my stories! Did you become a prince?"
Anas: "No, my little one. I'm just a father. A father who loves his daughter very much."
Nayun: (Observing him) "Mommy... Mommy will be shocked! She doesn't like white hair!"
Anas: (Remembering his wife for a moment) "Park Ji-won... yes. She will certainly be surprised."
Nayun: "Are we going to her now?"
Anas: (Thinking for a moment) "Not now. We have something to do first."
Nayun: "What?"
Anas: "We're going to a very important place. The branch of the Global Awakening and Hunters Association."
Nayun: (Her eyes widening) "The Hunters Association? Like the heroes on TV?"
Anas: "Yes. Just like them."
Nayun: "Will I see real hunters?"
Anas: "You will. Let's go."
He took her small hand and left the kindergarten. Behind them, the teachers, mothers, and fathers were left contemplating the scene.
One Teacher: "This father... I've never seen such beauty before."
Another Teacher: "Nayun is lucky. Her father is so handsome!"
The First Mother: "If only my husband were like this..."
Her Husband: (From behind her) "What did you say?"
The First Mother: "Nothing... I said the weather is nice today."
---
On the way, Anas and Nayun walked side by side. Nayun held his hand tightly, as if afraid he would disappear.
Nayun: "Father, where were you yesterday? You didn't come to get me. The teacher said you were busy."
Anas: (Feeling a pang in his heart) "I was... really busy. But I'm back now. And I won't leave you again."
Nayun: "Promise?"
Anas: "Promise."
Nayun: "And why are we going to the Hunters Association? Are you going to become a hunter?"
Anas: "Maybe."
Nayun: "But... aren't hunters dangerous? On TV, they show them fighting big monsters!"
Anas: "Don't worry. I'm not afraid of monsters."
Nayun: "Really? Are you strong?"
Anas: (Smiling) "You could say that."
Nayun: "Can you slap a monster?"
Anas: (Laughing) "I can do more than that."
Nayun: "Like what?"
Anas: "Like... making it disappear."
Nayun: (Her eyes sparkling) "Wow! You're like a magician!"
Anas: "Maybe."
Nayun: "Will you teach me how to become strong like you?"
Anas: (Looking at her) "Why do you want to become strong?"
Nayun: "To protect Mommy. She cries a lot at night when she thinks I'm asleep. I hear her. I want to protect her."
Anas stopped for a moment. He looked at this little girl, five years old, thinking about protecting her mother. He felt something strange in his heart. Something he had never felt before.
Anas: (To himself) "This child... so innocent. So strong."
He crouched down in front of her.
Anas: "Nayun, listen. I'll tell you a secret."
Nayun: (Getting closer) "What is it?"
Anas: "I am very strong now. Strong enough to protect you and your mother. And I won't let anyone hurt you. Ever. Do you understand?"
Nayun: (Nods her head) "I understand."
Anas: "But... this is our secret. Don't tell anyone. Not even Mommy. Agreed?"
Nayun: "Agreed! A secret between me and my father!"
She extended her small hand, and Anas shook it with his large hand.
Nayun: (Laughing) "Your hand is warm now! It was always cold!"
Anas: "Because I've changed. For the better."
Nayun: "I love you like this. I love you so much."
Anas: (Feeling a strange warmth) "And I love you too, my little one."