'Where exactly am I?'
Rico felt as if he were sinking into a deep ocean, his body descending without resistance while darkness surrounded him from every direction.
'What is this place that I'm in?'
The scene suddenly changed.
Rico stood on top of a high mountain. The wind struck his body, and before him was a city completely destroyed.
Rubble covered the ground, and smoke rose from everywhere.
He looked at his body.
Black armor covered him completely—heavy, solid, as if it were part of him.
'What is this? I can't move my body?'
His arm rose on its own.
His hand stretched forward.
A massive black sword appeared, its color identical to the armor, its size unnatural.
The city before him filled with monsters.
Enormous numbers.
S-rank monsters filled the place, roaring, moving, filling the horizon.
An aura exploded from his body.
A dense golden aura surrounded him completely.
His eyes glowed with a sharp golden color.
The one controlling his body swung the sword only once.
A single strike.
The air split.
The ground trembled.
The monsters disappeared completely.
The city was erased from existence.
Void.
Silence.
Control suddenly returned.
Rico felt his body again.
He ran.
He ran with everything he had.
His feet struck the ground hard.
He reached a river.
He bent down.
He looked at his reflection in the water.
It wasn't him.
Another person looked back at him.
Red hair.
Green eyes.
A strange face.
Rico screamed.
He woke up in terror.
'What exactly was that nightmare?'
His breathing was rapid.
Sweat covered his body.
A glass of water sat beside him on the table.
He grabbed it quickly.
He drank it in one gulp.
He breathed deeply.
He picked up his phone.
The light was strong.
Morning.
Rico got out of bed.
He went down to the lower floor.
The smell of food filled the place.
His mother stood in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
Rico sat down.
"Mom… where are Luna and Ryafan?"
"They're sleeping."
"They've been sleeping a lot these days."
"Because of school?"
"Middle schools don't go easy on their students."
"There's no need to worry. They'll go tomorrow."
She paused for a moment.
"Oh right, Hana wants to meet you."
"Hana? Doesn't she hate me?"
"She doesn't hate you anymore."
"Now she likes you."
"Why exactly now?"
"You'll meet her tonight."
"She wants to go out on a date with you."
"Really?"
Rico's tone was cold.
"Yes."
"What was the result of your guild entrance exam?"
John's image passed through his mind.
'Why do I remember him now?'
Rico smiled.
"I passed."
"I officially became a C-rank hunter."
His mother left the dishes.
She approached quickly.
She hugged him tightly.
Tears fell from her eyes.
"Your father would be proud of you now, Rico."
Rico smiled and hugged her.
"Stop crying, Mom."
"I can't stand seeing you like this."
Silence filled the place.
A simple warmth filled the room.
[Name: Rico Kisaragi]
[Rank: C]
[Title: Unknown]
[Level: 38]
The forest air was cold.
The smell of damp soil filled the place.
Sunlight slipped through the dense branches.
Rico planted his palms on the ground.
The muscles in his arms were tense.
Veins stood out clearly beneath his skin.
His body lowered slowly.
His chest approached the ground.
Drops of sweat slid from his forehead and fell onto the soil.
Then he pushed his body upward with force.
"Hah… hah… hah…"
His breathing was heavy.
His shoulders trembled from exhaustion.
He went down again.
Up.
Down.
Up.
The friction of his palms against the ground produced a faint sound.
Dry leaves rustled under his feet.
After several minutes, his arms neared their limit.
A clear tremor in his muscles.
Tension in his abdomen.
Pressure in his chest.
[Daily mission completed]
The blue window appeared steadily before his eyes.
[You will be healed automatically]
Warmth suddenly spread inside his body.
From his chest first.
Then it extended to his shoulders.
It flowed into his arms.
The trembling gradually disappeared.
The pain in his muscles faded as if it had never existed.
His breathing steadied.
His skin shivered for a moment.
A feeling of refreshment completely filled him.
He opened and closed his fist.
His strength had fully returned.
'Hana… why does she want to meet me?'
He stood up straight.
He looked into the empty space between the trees.
'I protect her because she's my fiancée.'
'And I know she hates me.'
His fingers clenched slightly.
'Protecting her only because it's a man's duty to protect girls.'
He sat on the forest ground.
His back leaned against the trunk of a thick tree.
The rough bark pressed against his clothes.
[Daily mission completion reward]
[Reward: You have obtained a Demon World Gate Key]
A small black key appeared inside his inventory.
Its surface was dull.
Fine red engravings covered it.
'Demon World!?'
His pupils widened.
[Conditions: The player's level must be at least 40 to enter the gate]
'My level is 38.'
He laughed lightly.
'What a joke.'
He ran his hand through his hair.
'I need to increase my level… but how?'
His eyes glimmered slightly.
'I became a C-rank hunter.'
'I can now accept missions from the guild and enter gates.'
Suddenly his expression turned serious.
'But how will I use the techniques I devoured from the bosses?'
A faint shadow passed through his eyes.
'My secret will be exposed if I use those techniques.'
'Someone who devours techniques and uses them whenever he wants… that doesn't exist.'
'No one else has this ability except me.'
His jaw tightened.
'If my secret is exposed… I'll become a test subject.'
A light breeze moved the leaves above him.
'C-rank gates are difficult.'
'Anyone must enter them with a group.'
He looked at his fist.
He clenched it tightly.
'I want to clear a gate alone.'
'I want to increase my level faster.'
He took a deep breath.
He stood up.
He brushed the dirt off his clothes.
'I'll return home.'
'I'll shower.'
'And go out with Hana tonight.'
In a large villa.
Heavy curtains covered the windows.
The room was carefully arranged.
Reina lay on her bed.
Her hair spread across the pillow.
Her eyes slowly opened.
"What… did I oversleep?"
She sat up.
She placed her feet on the cold floor.
She stood.
She entered the bathroom.
Water poured over her body.
The sound filled the room.
She closed her eyes.
An old memory slipped into her mind.
"Mom, look, I passed."
A simple kitchen.
Her mother stopped washing the dishes.
Water dripped from her hands.
She approached her.
She patted her hair.
"Good girl, Reina."
"You always make us proud."
A warm smile.
But the image changed.
A large office.
A wide window behind a massive wooden desk.
Her father stood before the window.
His back straight.
"Father, I passed the test."
Her voice was full of excitement.
A cold voice replied.
"That is expected from the Kagami family."
Heavy silence.
He only glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
"Don't expect me to go easy on you if you fail."
Her shoulders dropped.
Her head lowered.
'That day I lost something precious.'
The scene cracked.
Screams.
Smoke.
A red sky.
A massive gate opened in the air.
Monsters rushed into the city.
"Mom please don't die."
"Mom don't leave me alone."
"Mom… no!"
Blood.
Rubble.
Chaos.
'An SS-rank gate.'
'There wasn't a single SS-rank hunter.'
'Fifty S-rank hunters gathered.'
'But that wasn't enough.'
Her fingers clenched under the water.
'My father and mother died in that incident.'
Water flowed down her face.
She didn't know whether it was water or tears.
'Since that day… I've had only one goal.'
'To eliminate monsters no matter the cost.'
She turned off the faucet.
She stepped out.
She slowly dried her body.
She sat on the bed.
She looked at her hands.
'I've become different.'
'Is it because I'm now S-rank?'
The scene shifted to night.
Rico's house.
Warm lighting.
Rico stood at the door.
He wore clean clothes.
He tied his shoes firmly.
"Good luck on your date."
He turned.
He smiled faintly.
"Thank you, Mom."
"You're welcome."
"Hurry up, she's waiting for you."
He grabbed the door handle.
He paused for a moment.
A deep breath.
He opened the door.
The cold night air touched his face.
He stepped outside.
The door closed behind him.
The lights of Seoul reflected on the streets still damp from the remains of a light rain, while Rico walked calmly through the crowd, his eyes wandering across faces and shops.
'Where is she? She said come with me on a date…'
He suddenly stopped in front of a small café on the side of the road. Through the clear glass, he saw her.
Hana was sitting near the window, her hands clasped on the table, occasionally glancing toward the door as if expecting him to arrive at any moment.
Rico headed toward the café with steady steps. He pushed the door gently, and a soft ring came from the hanging bell.
Hana waved her hand as soon as she saw him.
"Over here!"
He walked toward her and sat across from her, his expression calm as she had always known it.
"How are you, Hana?"
She replied in a quiet voice:
"I'm fine."
Her face was red, and she avoided looking directly into his eyes.
Rico smiled lightly and said:
"How about we go for a walk?"
She nodded quickly.
"That's a good idea."
The two left the café and walked through the crowded streets of Seoul. The city was full of life—voices mixed with shop lights, and the smell of food filled the air.
Rico's eyes fell on a small shop selling ice cream. He stopped without saying anything, then walked to the shop and bought one for her.
He handed the ice cream to her calmly.
"Here."
She smiled shyly and said:
"Thank you."
He replied while looking ahead steadily:
"No need to thank me. You're my fiancée after all."
Her face reddened even more, and she lowered her gaze while holding the ice cream with both hands.
Hana looked at the people around her with genuine wonder; her parents had never allowed her to go out much. Everything seemed new and amazing to her.
Rico glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
'She's looking at this world as if she's seeing it for the first time.'
He suddenly said:
"How about we watch a movie at the cinema?"
She raised her head toward him, her cheeks growing redder.
"Yes… let's go."
They entered the cinema, and Rico chose a horror movie without hesitation. They walked into the hall and sat side by side.
As soon as the frightening scenes began appearing, Hana became tense and trembled slightly whenever a sudden sound rose or a scary moment appeared.
Rico, however, remained calm.
'After everything I faced inside the gates… a movie like this won't affect me.'
He felt her hand trembling near him, so he reached out and gently held it.
She froze for a moment, then her face turned even redder, but she didn't pull her hand away. Instead, she held onto his a little.
"Don't be afraid."
He said it in a low voice.
As time passed, her breathing calmed, and she kept holding his hand until the end of the movie.
After an hour and a half, they left the hall into the cold night air.
Hana hesitated before saying:
"What do you think about going to the fence near the river?"
He answered immediately:
"Of course."
They reached the fence overlooking the river. The water sparkled under the city lights, and the night breeze gently moved strands of Hana's hair.
They sat close together on one bench. They remained silent for a while, simply watching the reflection of the lights on the water's surface.
Then, without saying a word, Hana gently tilted her head and rested it on Rico's shoulder.
His smile widened slightly, and he placed his hand over her shoulders with quiet protection.
'Hana… she's really matured. She no longer looks at strength or appearance, but at the heart.'
They remained sitting under the sky of Seoul, and amid the distant noise of the city, the silence between them spoke louder than any words.
And so the date ended…
But something in Rico's heart told him that this calm would not last long.
End of Chapter (13)