The world had long changed.
Twenty years ago, the great comet known as the "Messenger" had hit Earth and began to change its entire environment and biology where it also created monsters and creatures that swarmed to destroy humanity — but something unexpected occurred.
A system, a blessing from the Cosmos above; The Star System, where only awakened humans could see it and use it as they gain their own abilities and skills against the monsters. But portals or known as the Vortex (Dungeons) had begun to appear everywhere where it released more creatures. The only way to stop it? Send the awakened humans who are strong enough to raid the vortex for it to disappear completely.
Now 20 years later, the world had adapted to its change as they lived their new life with daily troubles against vortexes and monsters as unawakened people depended their lives on the awakened people known as the Hunters.
Not too long, a raging and swirling portal appeared out of nowhere — something that everyone hasn't seen before. They had no choice, but to send the greatest hunters. 530 A to S class hunters including 8 himself.
But only one had returned, Song Dohyun and claimed with proof that Yeon Yujun had killed every single one of them before the vortex exploded.
It's all lies.
***
Now, four years later...
Yeon Yujun is living an ordinary life in Seoul as a civilian with a fake profile and a barista job at a local café owned by the old couple who had helped him start a fresh start, not knowing he's a former hunter. Today was a busy day for him, it's Late-August and it's been quite cold outside, that's why some civilians seek refuge here for a hot cup of coffee.
Yeon Yujun sealed the paper cup with a lid carefully before adding a coffee sleeve around the cup.
"Iced vanilla latte with oat milk for Eunseo!"
Yeon Yujun announced the order of the customer behind the counter as he put down the paper cup of coffee.
When the customer retrieved the coffee and left the café, Yeon Yujun began wiping the counter clean with a towel.
"...Give it up for Song Dohyun!"
Yeon Yujun flinched at the sound of the TV as he lifted his gaze up from the counter while he continued cleaning up.
Song Dohyun was doing an interview at some reality TV show that Yeon Yujun doesn't even watch, some of the customers were also engrossed in the television.
"Gosh, I can't believe he's the only survivor from the great vortex raid..."
"Yeah, he must've been through a lot. I still can't believe 8 is a traitor! Why would he kill all of the hunters?"
"Maybe that's why 8 is an unregistered hunter because he doesn't want anyone to know everything he's been doing behind our backs?"
"I guess he'd always been evil all along."
The chatters of the customers long faded in the background, Yeon Yujun couldn't help but bite the inside of his cheek.
Four years, it had been four years ever since that vortex raid. Everyone had called Yeon Yujun a traitor for killing his fellow hunters.
In truth, he isn't. He had just been framed by Song Dohyun after using his ability to steal Yeon Yujun's weapon — that was Song Dohyun's proof that Yeon Yujun had killed everyone.
But Yeon Yujun had no plans of letting himself be revealed, he had abandoned 8 and now, he only wants to be Yeon Yujun.
Before Yeon Yujun could prepare another coffee order, a small fluffy creature came crawling out of his apron pocket.
"Hm? What is it, Pouch?"
"Pupu!" Pouch stared up at Yeon Yujun with those huge adorable black eyes before it crawled up to Yeon Yujun's hair.
Good thing Pouch is invisible to civilians and to some hunters.
"Yujun!" A voice came emerging from the back and Yeon Yujun turned around.
"Grandma!" Yeon Yujun almost staggered when he saw the old woman, Kim Misook, standing behind him already.
"Take some rest, I'll let my niece cover the day for you."
Yeon Yujun was almost baffled, "Are you sure, granny? I can still help out,"
"No need, young man. You've helped enough, now take the day off before I fire you." the old woman fussed.
Yeon Yujun sighed in defeat as he untied his apron and hung it to the hanger at the wall. He really doesn't know what to do other than working and helping out.
"I'll go to the supermarket for some groceries, do you guys need anything?"
"Buy me my meds, young man. I left the prescription at the back," the old woman gestured to the back door.
"Jongsu is on work today at the construction, but he said he needed some batteries." she added.
"Tell grandpa I'll get it for him once he comes back." He nodded, grabbing his phone and shoulder bag from the cabinet.
"Don't forget to tidy up the house!" she called out to Yeon Yujun who was already leaving through the back door.
***
"Just the usual Ibuprofen," Yeon Yujun handed the prescription to the pharmacist while he was carrying a bag of groceries.
He handed a bill before taking the small paper bag filled with bottles of pills.
'Has she been getting a lot of headaches lately?' Yeon Yujun couldn't help but think about Kim Misook's health.
Kim Misook had been weak lately, her migraines were getting stronger every week that she couldn't handle working an entire day from the café.
With a polite and short nod, Yeon Yujun left the pharmacy and walked through the sidewalk, passing a crowd of people while Pouch was purring on his black locks.
"What should I do today…?" Yeon Yujun muttered to himself as he bumped into a tall hooded man.
"My bad!" Yeon Yujun quickly apologized as the tall hooded figure walked away without saying anything.
The man looked suspicious and sketchy, like he's up to something no good… Yeon Yujun would've stopped that man if he's still 8, but he's no longer that guy.
Yeon Yujun just continued walking, his grey eyes scanned around the city before his eyes landed on a window with a poster.
"The traitor's mythical sword, "Doombringer's Excalibur" now showcasing in the Hunter's Memorabilia Museum on October 7!"
Yeon Yujun stopped for moment, unwanted memories flashing through his mind —
Back at the vortex, the screams of his fellow comrades, and Song Dohyun attempting to kill him.
That sword has always been his weakness, just like how Achilles' heel is Achilles's weakness. It was his greatest mistake of letting Song Dohyun know his one and only weakness.
The wound that Song Dohyun inflicted on him took a year to completely heal since his regeneration skill wasn't working.
"Tch, now they're showcasing my weapon to the public after four years?" Yeon Yujun bitterly muttered under his breath as he continued his walk. He couldn't afford to be distracted now that he has to head home.
***
"—8 had been my greatest friend…" Song Dohyun's voice continues playing on the television in the living room while Yeon Yujun is sweeping the floor with a broom.
Yeon Yujun listened to the TV without looking up, just keeping his head down as he carried on his chores but Pouch was resting on the couch, staring at the television screen in curiosity.
"..I still can't believe that my greatest old friend was a traitor…"
"Pouch, could you grab me the towel from the kitchen?"
"Pupu!" The small fluffy creature got down the couch and crawled to the kitchen with its soft and fluffy legs and arms like a dog.
It hurriedly grabbed the folded towel at the kitchen, mounting it on its fluffy back before crawling down and moving towards Yeon Yujun.
"Thanks." he crouched down and grabbed the towel from Pouch's back as his gaze finally looked at the television.
"Turn off the TV too, it's getting on my nerves." Yeon Yujun sighed as he watched Pouch press the power button of the remote by using its fluffy paw.
The entire house is now swallowed in silence, just how Yeon Yujun had preferred before carrying out his chores around the house.
By the time he had finished tidying up the house, Kim Misook, Shin Jongsu, and Misook's niece, Lee Seolji came home.
"Yujun, we're home!" Lee Seolji announced cheerfully as she held a plastic bag of Korean fried chicken in a bucket.
"Seolji? I didn't know you're staying over this evening." Yeon Yujun greeted Lee Seolji before glancing at the old couple.
"Grandpa, Grandma, welcome home."
"My! You really tidied up the house as always, Yujun." Kim Misook smiled up at Yeon Yujun, patting his shoulder before she carefully moved around the house.
"Well, Seolji and I will start preparing dinner. Misook just finished fermenting her special kimchi," Shin Jongsu gestured to the kitchen as Lee Seolji followed behind him.
"Are you sure you two don't need any help with dinner?"
"We'll be fine, Yujun. You've done a great job today."
Yeon Yujun couldn't help but smile in satisfaction at the compliments he had received today so far — he had grown accustomed to compliments of being strong and powerful, never doing a good job.
"Yujun, could you grab the rice sack from my truck?" Shin Jongsu asked from the kitchen as Yeon Yujun nodded.
"Alright!"
Yeon Yujun slipped on his slippers and went towards the front door, the day was starting to dim and the streetlights were turning on automatically in response.
He went to the parked truck as he walked around the vehicle. Yeon Yujun grabbed the sealed rice sack from the trunk and held it over his shoulder effortlessly.
Perks of being an awakened hunter. Yeon Yujun thought to himself proudly, but it instantly faded when he heard a patter from the truck window.
"Is it raining?" Yeon Yujun looked up at the sky, it was gloomy skies but there's definitely no water droplets falling.
He decided to look at the truck door window and what he saw instantly made him freeze in the spot, his hand trembling against the rice sack.
"I'll be seeing you soon. :>" the note wrote. It wasn't there earlier.
"What the hell…?"