[System:
Item: Wolf's Silk (S)
Category: Protective Gear]
[System:
Item: Soteria's Glove (S)
Category: Protective Gear]
[System:
Item: Horace's Shoes (S)
Category: Protective Gear]
What is this? Am I a national treasure? What's up with these high-ranking gear?
Before heading out, Han Jiwon made sure to put as much protective gear as she could onto her young master. At first, he didn't know what it was, but went with it after she told him this is his usual attire when going to a dungeon.
Isn't this too flashy? Even if I'm Baek Raehwan's younger brother, I'm supposed to be just an A-Rank Support Hunter.
He scratched his cheek.
"Jiwon-ah, isn't this too much? I don't want to stand out…"
"Eh? But Haemin-nim always said that you want to be the center of attention, that's why you chose all of them."
Han Jiwon opened the door for him after arriving at the dungeon's location.
I should've known… Of course, it's this kid's taste again. Haa…
A swarm of reporters hangs around the dungeon gate, with men wearing black suits pushing them and covering for the hunters.
When they see a reporter stepping out of bounds, they never fail to remind.
"Please, step back. This is an A-Rank Dungeon. It's dangerous, you might get pulled into it."
"Ah, hold on! Let me just, let me just take one photo, okay? Just one photo of Ryu Jinmu!"
The reporter tried to push his way in, but couldn't get past the security.
"That's right! Let us see Ryu Jinmu and we'll go!"
"Yeah! Show us Ryu Jinmu!"
As expected of our main character. He's popular, huh?
It hasn't been long since Korea's sole SS-Rank Hunter awakened, but after he was ranked to be the number one hunter in the country, everything he does stands out.
Be it clearing an A-Rank Dungeon like he normally does, reporters still swarm to take a single photo of him.
Well, he's never one to be social, even in the novel anyway. It must be rare to see him.
Unlike the original Baek Haemin who wants to hog all the attention to himself, Ryu Jinmu prefers to be left alone most of the time.
Hardened by challenges through his childhood, he developed a personality that keeps everything to himself.
Jiwon cleared a path for him.
"Haemin-nim, over here."
After going past the reporters, he finally saw the Blue Dragon Guild's hunters waiting and preparing for the dungeon.
Ah, I should greet them, right?
He gulped and smiled at one of the hunters sitting on the floor with his sword.
"Nice to meet you, I'm…"
"Ah, I forgot something."
The hunter stood up and walked away.
What? He didn't even look at me…
He didn't let it dishearten him, though. Haemin tried to greet other hunters only to get the same response.
No, it wasn't even a response. They all kept on either avoiding him or straight up ignoring his greetings.
Then he saw a young man acting as a porter.
That one! He looks young and meek. He probably won't ignore me as hard as the others, right? Yeah, let's greet that guy!
Haemin offered a handshake and smiled.
"Hey, we're going to the same dungeon. I'm–"
"Uhm, I think you should stop."
The young man's brows creased with his head still down.
He looked at Baek Haemin weirdly and said,
"I don't mean to be rude but you're making everyone uncomfortable by pretending to be all friendly, so…"
The young man peeked at him in worry that he might have offended this famous support hunter. Everyone knows who Baek Haemin is.
He was notorious for acting bratty and chasing after their guildmaster, after all. They know his nature by now and him acting out of his usual behavior made them feel uneasy.
Afraid of the consequences of speaking up against him, no one was brave enough to say it to his face.
Baek Haemin, on the other hand, was stunned.
His eyes blinked twice at the young man.
His mouth finally opened after a few moments,
"...what's your name?"
"Sir?"
The young hunter gasped.
His fists tightened as he looked at Haemin. Why would he need his name? Is he going to destroy his career as a hunter? Is he going to tell his brother? What about his family? His hands got sweaty even though it's windy.
Baek Haemin put a hand on his shoulder, making him flinch.
He muttered,
"Amazing…"
"...uhm…"
Haemin lifted his head up and leaned into his face.
"That's amazing, young man!"
The young hunter looked dumbfounded at his reaction.
"...what?"
"Everyone either ignored or avoided me, but you actually had the guts to say that! That's amazing. I thought you looked like a coward, but aren't you actually brave? Mmh, good. That's good!"
Haemin nodded in satisfaction as he patted his back with a bright smile.
He asked again,
"Hey, tell me your name. I'm interested in you now!"
"But that's…"
"Hmm? What? What are you being stingy about your name for?"
The young man frowned and looked at him as if he had said something strange.
"...are you going to ask your brother to hunt me down?"
Haemin's eyes widened and he quickly tucked his hands away.
"What?! Are you crazy? I'm not that insane, you know! Seriously, this kid…"
I'd rather avoid Baek Raehwan for the rest of my life. Why would I do that?
The young man stared at him.
"...really? You won't?"
Haemin shook his head,
"Yeah, I promise. I swear! I won't!"
I'm not that crazy yet. I wouldn't ask him to ruin someone else's life when my own life's not even guaranteed!
The young man sighed and said,
"Kang Minho. My name is Kang Minho."
"Oh! Kang Minho, huh? It suits you."
Baek Haemin beamed and offered a handshake.
Kang Minho stared at his hand for a minute, then accepted it. Baek Haemin's smile still baffles him, but he couldn't feel any malicious intent.
Minho's lips curled.
"I heard the Blackmane Guild was quiet nowadays. I have an idea now."
"Hmm? What was that?"
Haemin tilted his head, not hearing what he just said.
Minho shook his head.
"It's nothing. Our team's in your care today."
"O, oh, yeah! Leave it to me!"
Haemin avoided his eyes.
I did my best to research how dungeons are cleared and the support hunter's role, so it'll be fine, right? It should be fine…