How could something like this possibly happen? Of all people, the hero who killed me in my previous life was reborn into this world, and not only that, but into the same country. No matter how I thought about it, I could sense someone’s malice behind all this.
“Enemy of my past life, take your blade—!”
…Yeah, no. I wasn’t about to say something like that. I’m not that crude of a Demon Lord. I lost our duel and died. That was that; an issue already settled. The real problem was this.
He isn’t recognizing me, is he? Cold sweat trickled down my back. I quietly observed Yu Hanul.
If he recognized me right now, even a little—
“Thank goodness. There are so many people who suffer from dungeon aftereffects. You’re still a student, too. Going through something like this would shake anyone. It wouldn’t be strange if you were traumatized. Once you’re out, make sure you get some counseling.”
“…”
Seeing him smile as if relieved that I’d simply been shocked into silence, it didn’t seem like he recognized me for now. Still, I couldn’t let my guard down. Normally, humans lose their memories of past lives when they reincarnate. But that wasn’t something I could be certain of. Just as I had once been a great archmage, the hero had also been a swordsman who reached extraordinary heights. Once a human surpasses a certain threshold, they break past biological limits. I couldn’t guarantee that he didn’t remember his past life. And even if he didn’t remember it now, there was always the possibility that those memories could resurface later.
The system might awaken them.
To the system, I was an awkward existence, something like a thorn in its side. If it decided that eliminating me was advantageous, it might very well awaken the hero’s dormant memories to remove a potential threat.
Unlike me, this guy isn’t just S-rank in potential. He’s S-rank right now.
If it came to a fight, I would lose. No question about it. On top of that, I was still shackled by the system’s restrictions.
I glanced at the system messages.
The system has resolved the error.
Time until dungeon exit: 00:05:00
It fixed things quickly, the bastard. But that wasn’t what caught my attention. It was the message hovering by default, as if warning the user “Jeong Daon.”
Doing Good Deeds Will Bring Blessings¿
User “Jeong Daon” cannot engage in behavior that violates social standards.
…Murder would obviously violate social standards. Maybe self-defense would be another matter.
No, even self-defense wouldn’t help if the opponent is Yu Hanul.
The system’s restrictions weren’t based on simple notions of good and evil, but on whether the majority of society would agree. If I fought Yu Hanul, I’d be at a disadvantage. If Yu Hanul fought some random person, most of society would side with him. That was how high his social trust was.
If I’d known he was in Korea, I would’ve revised the quest conditions.
Accepting this quest while happily thinking there’d be plenty of openings for a demon to exploit was a decision I’d regret for a thousand years.
In modern South Korea, Hunter activity by minors was prohibited except for one single exception. That exception was Yu Hanul.
The reason was simple. His physical abilities far exceeded those of normal people to the point where he could harm others without meaning to. Dozing off in class and flinching unconsciously when someone tried to wake him, only to break their bones. Bumping shoulders with someone in daily life and leaving them with injuries requiring four weeks of treatment… It was practically impossible for him to live a normal life.
With incidents like that happening over and over, the Hunter Association decided it would be better for him to train as a Hunter and learn to control his strength early. That was why Yu Hanul began Hunter activities at around fifteen. It didn’t take long for him to be regarded as both the youngest and the strongest Hunter in South Korea.
What left the deepest impression on Korean society was the fact that Yu Hanul had stopped the worst Dungeon Break in the nation’s history, the very incident that turned his hair white. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that half the country owed him their lives. If someone like that were to recover memories of his past life, recognize me, and declare that I needed to be eliminated because I had once been the Demon Lord, there would be no one who wouldn’t believe him. Or even if they didn’t fully believe him, they’d pretend to, considering his power and how useful he was.
That was why Yu Hanul was, in every sense, an extremely troublesome opponent for me right now, especially when I also considered the possibility that some unknown party, harboring malice toward me, had deliberately caused this Dungeon Break in the first place.
There’s no way Yu Hanul is involved in this too… right?
If he were, that would be a serious problem. Watching his expression carefully, I asked, “By the way, are S-rank Hunters like you even dispatched to clear dungeons this low-level?”
“Hahaha. In a Dungeon Break, there’s no such thing as ‘low-level.’ And if there are people who’ve been left behind, of course we have to send someone as fast as possible… is what I’d like to say.” As he spoke, Yu Hanul smiled a little sheepishly. “Honestly, the Hunter Association also contacted me right away after hearing that there was a student who received an S-rank in the ability evaluation. They probably thought they couldn’t afford to lose an S-rank potential like that so pointlessly.”
“…That’s pretty honest.”
It was within expectations. A Dungeon Break was certainly an emergency, but that alone didn’t justify sending someone like Yu Hanul to a low-level dungeon. However, if the person caught up in it wasn’t an ordinary civilian but a Hunter with S-rank potential, the story changed. In a society where everything could be bought with money, even human lives were assigned different values. It wasn’t surprising, but it was a rather devilish reality.
“Well, if we’re going to be working together a lot in the future, there’s no point in putting on airs, right?” The hero, newly reborn into this capitalist society, said. “For S-rank Hunters like us, it’s better to grasp reality quickly. Once you start getting pushed around by the Association, the fallout is bigger than for most people, and cleaning up the mess is a pain.”
I looked at Yu Hanul again. This guy was… what, early twenties now? Then again, he’d been a Hunter since fifteen, so it made sense that he was used to society. Still, I hadn’t expected him to talk like this. Though the fact that he was offering this kind of advice to someone he’d just met suggested that, just like in his previous life, he still had a naïve side. Even so, it wasn’t hard to understand. The value an S-rank Hunter could generate was immense. In a world where becoming a high-ranking Hunter was likened to winning the lottery, Yu Hanul was one of the most valuable assets of all. He must have been through quite a lot.
At least he doesn’t seem to be living like a total sucker.
…Or was he? Considering he came running here the moment the Association called him. Maybe I was overthinking it. We did have a past-life connection, after all.
Not that worrying about it would change anything.
“Well, we can talk about that stuff later. The dungeon’s been cleared, and you’re safe now, Jeong Daon. Shall we head out?” Yu Hanul helped me to my feet.
Standing there on shaky legs, I looked up at him. In a world where the monsters were gone, his hair caught the light and shimmered. Even standing in sunlight, he looked strangely hazy, like the reflection of the moon on water, as if he might vanish at any moment, so in contrast to that brilliant light of his soul, or perhaps precisely because of it.
From the perspective of a demon, one who knows better than anyone that things too pure and beautiful are all the easier to break and stain, that was how he appeared.
Noticing my persistent stare, Yu Hanul smiled awkwardly and scrunched up his nose. “Huh? Why are you staring at me like that?”
There was a time when we stood under the same sky but in very different places. The hero I remembered was always looking up at me. He was always covered in wounds, exhausted, with sorrow shadowing his face.
That was only natural. How many sacrifices must he have made to reach me?
But now, he was tall, looking down at me. The hand holding his sword was strong, and the light of his soul was still beautiful. Unlike me, who had been dragged through the mud, filthy and worn down.
I hadn’t wanted to meet him like this again. Even though I knew, rationally, that the best choice was to avoid getting entangled with him as much as possible, I couldn’t resist a strange impulse and asked, “...Why are you speaking formally? You’re older than me.”
“Oh? Then should I talk casually?” He grinned, as if he’d been waiting for that, and answered, “Since we’re going to be seeing each other a lot anyway. Nice to meet you, Daon. You can talk casually too.”
“Uh… okay.”
“…Hmm, you’re pretty comfortable with this, huh.” He didn’t seem particularly bothered by being spoken to informally by a student four years younger than him. Instead, he added one more word of advice, “By the way, once we get out of here, you should brace yourself.”
I nodded. "I know."
This wasn’t something that required advice from a hero to a demon.
The day the results of College Scholastic Ability Test was one of the most important events in South Korea, and after the appearance of the system and dungeons, it had also become the day when minors underwent their ability evaluations, making it yet another day that set the entire world buzzing.
Current number of S-rank Hunters in Korea
What’s the percentage chance of an S-rank coming out of today’s ability test?
Why I don’t get Korea’s obsession with S-ranks
About the newly revised ability evaluation method: Why the World Hunter Association president allowed system access
If America’s S-rank Estella fought Korea’s S-rank Yu Hanul, who would win?
It was the usual pattern of video-site scavengers rehashing well-known facts for clicks, along with baseless speculation flooding online communities. Then, around 4 p.m., as the ability evaluations were wrapping up, a breaking news alert appeared.
[New S-rank Hunter born at a high school in Eunpyeong District]
[Potential S-rank discovered in the 203x ability evaluation]
The public reaction was nothing short of ecstatic.
— holy sht holy sht holy sh*t new S-rank!!!
— Korea S-rank count +1
— I’m curious who it is lol, maybe one of the top high school prospects?
— Didn’t they say one of the Youth Olympics national team members might get S-rank? Is it them?
ㄴ Nope. Athlete Lee Pyeonghwa lives in Gangnam—this says Eunpyeong District lol
ㄴ Damn, then did that national team kid not get S-rank?
— That happens. Even people predicted to be potential S-rank end up with A-rank once the system evaluates them
ㄴ Wow, thinking you’re S-rank and getting A-rank instead must be a shock. A-rank is still amazing though
ㄴ For real. A-rank is huge, but the media and parents hype it too much
— But it’s based on potential anyway, so what matters is the future!
ㄴ Doesn’t matter. Reality still splits people by potential rank lol. Any current S-rank who wasn’t potential S-rank? Nope
— Everyone’s risking their lives to stop dungeons anyway, do we really need all these ranks?
ㄴ True. The system’s original purpose was to set safety guidelines by dungeon risk, but reality just turned into rank-based society lol. Like some new aristocracy
The excitement over a new S-rank quickly turned into curiosity about the newcomer’s identity.
— So who is this new S-rank high schooler? Any gossip?
— I went to the same school. I’ll drop a quick story and delete it lol Apparently poor family background, no friends. Don’t expect some saintly personality lol
ㄴ Whoa, spill more lol. Why? Bad attitude?
ㄴ f*ck, if an S-rank has trash personality we’re screwed
ㄴ Yeah, today right after getting S-rank they totally went after a kid from the same school lol. In front of everyone in the auditorium. Search the school tag, Bet there are posts already
ㄴ Damn
In a world with advanced social media, personal information spread instantly. Since Hunters were considered national assets and semi-public figures, an individual’s private life was easily shared without much guilt.
— I followed the tags and found a video. Might be this?
ㄴ Yeah, that’s it. Everyone’s freaking out over the S-rank judgment lol
ㄴ The atmosphere is insane. People just watching like it’s a fight
ㄴ Must’ve been wild
ㄴ Wait, is the kid who fell on their butt in the video peeing themselves? lol
— Everyone’s laughing, but the new S-rank really doesn’t look nice. Feels like they’re threatening someone in public
— Damn, but they’re insanely pretty. Like an idol
ㄴ Even S-rank Hunters get judged on looks now lol
— You can already see hardcore stans forming. Lookism society ffs
— Wait, didn’t the kid who fell actually bully the S-rank first? Then isn’t that reaction understandable?
ㄴ Still, threatening someone right after getting power isn’t normal
ㄴ Are you a saint? If it were me, I’d beat the crap out of my bully the moment I got S-rank lol
— The people uploading those videos are brave. Picking a fight with a future S-rank Hunter lol
ㄴ If they were that smart, they wouldn’t upload this stuff
ㄴ Don’t tell them, they’ll delete it and kill the fun lol
ㄴ If it were me, I’d leave Korea asap. Imagine your bullied nerd turns out to be potential S-rank…
— I’m a civilian in that video. Please take it down. I’ve hired a lawyer and will be pressing charges.
Videos from the ability test auditorium even surfaced, with the people involved stepping forward themselves. Every community exploded over the footage. A new potential S-rank alone was already prime gossip, but add a story of immediate retaliation against a school bully, framed as righteous justice, and it was irresistible.
Some criticized it morally; others sympathized on a human level. It was the kind of controversy perfectly split down the middle. As reporters interviewed school staff and details like a difficult home environment and academic performance came out, the internet grew even more feverish.
And within just a single day, the story took another dramatic turn. That evening, even office workers joined the discussion.
[Emergency Disaster Alert] Dungeon Break in Eunpyeong District
[Nearby residents are advised to evacuate to designated shelters]
In modern society, where Dungeon Breaks had come to be treated as routine disasters, a low-level Dungeon Break in Eunpyeong wasn’t, by itself, a major issue. If the Hunter Association did its job properly, it would be resolved within two hours.
But then additional breaking news poured gasoline on the fire.
[Approximately 20 people have been caught in the Dungeon Break; exact numbers still being confirmed]
[One of the students caught in today’s Dungeon Break is reportedly the high schooler who received a potential S-rank in today’s ability evaluation, causing widespread concern…]
— Is this for real? Getting S-rank and immediately caught in a Dungeon Break on the same day?
— Lottery jackpot followed by instant karmic payment damn
— But why worry? An S-rank got caught, right? It’s a D-rank dungeon lol
ㄴ Did you skip dungeon safety class? Potential ability is useless before development
ㄴ And if they’re a top student senior, they’re probably physically weak. This could be bad
— But today’s Tuesday. Why does the article say “today” (금일)?
ㄴ I can’t tell if this is a joke or serious
ㄴ Do kids not learn Sino-Korean words anymore?
— Another alert just dropped. The Association’s dispatching Yu Hanul for rescue, so relax
— They even sent a helicopter to Jeju to pick him up wtf lol
— This is ridiculous. When Dungeon Breaks happen in the provinces, they say there’s no manpower and delay for hours—Seoul Republic strikes again
— A potential S-rank could clear so many dungeons once grown. Of course they prioritize rescue
ㄴ Guess unawakened people are just supposed to accept their fate then
After hours of heated debate over whether this rapid response was due to the new S-rank’s appearance, an alert finally announced the dungeon’s clearance. Most people sighed in relief and commented that it had gone exactly as expected.
— Yu Hanul went in. There’s no way a low-level dungeon wouldn’t get cleared
— Nothing else is going to happen today, right? Time to wash up and sleep
Everyone thought that was the end of it…before the reporters trapped in the dungeon released their footage.
— Guys, apparently the one who got caught already used magic today
ㄴ That’s even possible?? Doesn’t it take months just to finish the tutorial?
— Reporters’ footage is out. Watch it first, then talk
— Holy sh*t, they killed the boss before Yu Hanul even entered
The video wasn’t intentionally filmed. It came from a camera hanging around the neck of a reporter who had been paralyzed by a monster. The framing, quality, and audio were all poor, but that only made it feel more real.
In the footage, the back of a young girl in an ordinary school uniform could be seen. She looked like she might be crushed at any moment by the massive monster before her until, in an instant, everything changed.
Krrruuumble!
Thanks to the camera’s quality, the thunder rolling through the storm clouds rang out loudly. As viewers frowned, some in worry, others in anticipation, the girl summoned lightning into her hand. She grasped the falling bolt as if it were a sword.
Then she threw it at the queen ant.
— ???
— What is this, Pikachu? Thor?
— How does her hand survive that wtf
The lightning spear pierced straight through the queen ant. The sight of an ant the size of a one-ton truck being incinerated by high-voltage electricity was utterly overwhelming and utterly unbelievable.
Communities across Korea, already pushed to their limit that day, erupted into near-white-hot frenzy.
— So Korea’s new S-rank is a genius mage??
— Even if the monster’s just a C-rank, how did it die in one shot?
— I’m a working mage Hunter, and that’s not a standard spell. Looks like one she created herself. This makes no sense. I’m losing it
— She awakened today and did this? I’m quitting being a Hunter
— S-rank archmage nation damn
— Why the new S-rank mage video makes zero sense.SSUL
— So who is she, exactly?
Someone replied to that post.
— That’s Jeong Daon!