The Hunter’s Bureau Special Training Room was an all-white space resembling a psychiatric unit and was slightly smaller than a school athletic field.
At the center of the training room stood a man who was steadying his breathing. With sharp eyes, thick eyebrows, and distinct features, he had an appearance striking enough to rival that of a top movie star. This man was none other than Kang-Hyun.
A robotic voice echoed from the speakers.
[Commencing training.]
Dressed in a simple blue training suit, Kang-Hyun slowly opened his eyes, bracing himself for the incoming assault. With a bang, a mana bullet was fired from an empty wall at a speed too fast to perceive with the naked eye.
As he wore only a standard-issue suit instead of his usual S-rank gear, a direct hit would result in a fatal injury.
With agile footwork, Kang-Hyun dodged the bullet effortlessly. By applying Release, he directed his mana beneath his feet, shifting his weight downward. He bent at precarious angles, almost falling but never toppling over, before springing into motion. This was his unique technique, Bending Tread.
However, it wasn’t just one bullet.
The mana bullets poured out relentlessly, growing faster and stronger with each round.
Young-Chul watched Kang-Hyun’s movements intently through the transparent glass partition, accompanied by a team of twenty researchers specifically assigned to Kang-Hyun, who recorded real-time data and monitored the training session's results.
“This is insane... He might clear the fiftieth stage,” murmured one researcher in awe.
This training program, designed solely for Kang-Hyun, had started with just a single stage. Gradually, the number of bullets increased, as did their speed and power. By now, each bullet was equivalent to one fired from an S-rank Hunter’s mana gun.
“He’s dodging everything...” another researcher murmured.
That wasn’t all. At Kang-Hyun’s request, they had added simulated S-rank monsters. Even while dodging the mana bullets, he defended against the monsters’ attacks with his sword.
The sight of him effortlessly countering strikes and slicing through enemies left the observers in shock.
“As expected, you don’t become the best for no reason.”
For ten years, Kang-Hyun had never relinquished his spot as the top-ranked Hunter. This ranking wasn’t limited to Korea; it was globally recognized.
He had surpassed athletes, actors, and celebrities to become a global superstar at the height of his fame.
Finally, the twenty-minute training session came to an end.
Kang-Hyun wiped the sweat pouring from his face and exited the training room. Young-Chul handed him a dry towel, his gaze reflecting both gratitude and admiration.
“Good work, Kang-Hyun.”
For ten years, Kang-Hyun had never shown laziness or complacency, and Young-Chul knew very well the reason behind his relentless dedication.
“You still haven’t overcome the trauma, have you?” he asked.
At the mention of trauma, Kang-Hyun smiled bitterly.
Three years ago, the most horrifying event in Hunter history occurred in Busan—the appearance of Masalis, the Dragon. At that time, Kang-Hyun was the commander leading the raid on Masalis.
“I’m working on it, but I’ll never forget,” Kang-Hyun said.
He wasn’t talking about being angry at the dragon, but at his own weakness that led three S-rank Hunters to perish under Masalis’ Breath. Even now, no one knew when another dragon would appear. If that day were to come, Kang-Hyun was determined to protect those he held dear and to ensure such a tragedy would never happen again.
“I heard that two dragons appeared recently. Any news on their whereabouts?” he asked Young-Chul.
“They haven’t been spotted since, which is very good for us.”
Kang-Hyun was referring to the incident from several months ago, during the raid of the S-rank Fissure at Umyeonsan Mountain. Two dragons had suddenly appeared in Bangbae-dong and fought each other before disappearing back into the Fissure.
Since then, there had been no further sightings.[1]
“Sir, Masalis was number ten,” Kang-Hyun said thoughtfully.
The number “10” etched into its head was unforgettable. The dragon was ferocious, monstrous, and immensely powerful.
“The two dragons in Bangbae-dong were numbers one and nine.”
Analyzing the footage revealed that the lower the number, the greater the power of the dragon. While Masalis’ wave level was under three thousand, the dragons in Bangbae-dong couldn’t even be measured.
“Honestly, sir... I don’t think I can beat them.” Kang-Hyun gritted his teeth.
Despite all his training and growth, the power of the numbers one and nine was unimaginable, far beyond his reach. Although the difference between their numbers may have seemed small, the gap in power was overwhelming.
“Right. If those two appear together, even Supervisor Lee wouldn’t be able to do much.”
Kang-Hyun nodded deeply, agreeing.
The next day, a neatly-dressed Kang-Hyun made his way to Do-Jun’s house.
Behemoth had just finished clearing the first floor of the Core and was preparing to advance to the second floor. Before proceeding, Do-Jun called him over to provide a strategy guide and share some key precautions.
Kang-Hyun was surprised when he spotted a Western man selling taiyaki on the street despite the sweltering summer heat. Not only taiyaki, but also slushies to cool off. It felt strange that there would be a taiyaki stand in the hot summer, yet there were quite a few customers.
“Must be really good,” Kang-Hyun muttered.
Feeling nostalgic, he decided to buy some and approached the vendor. As he got closer, he was surprised by how striking he appeared. The man was tall, towering at least ten centimeters above Kang-Hyun, who, by the way, wasn’t a short person by any means.
“Hello,” he greeted the vendor.
“How many do you want?” Hakase asked, casually grabbing a fish bun with his gloved hand.
Though taken aback by the informal tone, Kang-Hyun chalked it up to the man being a foreigner.
“Three thousand won. Cash only.”
Kang-Hyun handed over the money and received a paper bag filled with steaming taiyaki.
He figured it would be polite to bring snacks when visiting someone’s home, and hot taiyaki being sold in summer was certainly unique.
“Thank you, I hope you sell lots.”
“Come back for more if you like them,” Hakase said with a big yawn as he removed his gloves and fanned himself, revealing the number five etched on his collarbone.
This was Kang-Hyun’s first visit to Do-Jun’s home—unit 301 of Changshin Villa.
What kind of atmosphere would it have? With a mix of curiosity and excitement, he knocked on the door cautiously. Surely, Do-Jun would answer the door in a moment.
He had heard from Young-Chul, who had visited once before, that it was a simple and ordinary home, but he still wanted to see for himself.
Finally, the door to Do-Jun’s home opened.
But the one greeting Kang-Hyun wasn’t Do-Jun. Nor was it his daughter, Yoon-Hee.
Instead, it was... a dog?
No, it definitely wasn’t a dog. This was some kind of monster. Even with his ten years of experience in Fissures, Kang-Hyun couldn’t determine exactly what type of monster it was.
Kang-Hyun wondered if it was a Mad Dog but immediately dismissed the idea. Mad Dogs didn’t have wings. Moreover, they had a single horn on their heads, but this red-skinned creature had two.
“Sorry, Mister. We already have our paper guy,” the monster spoke in fluent Korean.
Kang-Hyun instinctively held his breath, wondering if he was dreaming, but he quickly reminded himself that what mattered now was his plan with Do-Jun.
“I’m not a paperboy. I’m Lee Kang-Hyun from Behemoth Guild. I was invited by Supervisor Lee Do-Jun. Is he in?”
“Hmm... that sounds a bit suspicious—” Yong-Yong stopped abruptly as he caught sight of the bag of taiyaki in Kang-Hyun’s hand.
Karsiel filled a glass with iced tea powder and hot water, stirring it well before adding some ice. She placed the glass in front of Kang-Hyun, offering it as a gesture of hospitality. After all, he was Do-Jun’s guest.
“Please wait a moment. Master has stepped out briefly to visit the store,” she said.
“Thank you,” Kang-Hyun replied, accepting the iced tea with a slightly puzzled tone.
He thought Do-Jun lived alone with his daughter. Yet, it seemed there were more residents than he had expected.
The tea was refreshingly sweet, especially in the hot weather. Still, something about the situation nagged at Kang-Hyun.
However, what he witnessed next was something he could hardly believe.
Karsiel shrank, and in just a matter of seconds, her human shape vanished as she transformed into a miniature dragon, similar to Yong-Yong. However, her scales were light brown, and her expression had a stern demeanor.
She jumped onto the couch, curled up into a ball, and closed her eyes to nap. It seemed like she had only briefly gotten up to serve tea to the guest.
Next to her, Yong-Yong was happily munching on the taiyaki. The crispy bread filled with sweet red bean paste seemed to be a treat he never got tired of.
Suddenly, Yong-Yong’s and Kang-Hyun’s eyes met.
Caught mid-bite with the third fish-shaped bun in his mouth, Yong-Yong paused and said, “C-can I help you?”
Under Kang-Hyun’s intense gaze, Yong-Yong stopped eating and placed the taiyaki back into the bag.
Was the man about to scold him for eating too much?
To Yong-Yong’s surprise, Kang-Hyun picked him up.
“Ahhh! Put me down! The only person allowed to pick me up is my master!” Yong-Yong struggled for a moment before sighing in resignation.
Why did humans always feel the need to lift him?
Kang-Hyun inspected the mark on Yong-Yong’s forehead.
Then he turned his gaze to Karsiel, asleep on the couch.
He gasped, recalling the footage of two dragons that had appeared in Bangbae-dong.
Do-Jun returned home from his short grocery run for coffee and dinner ingredients.
“Sorry, did I keep you waiting?” he asked, setting the bags on the kitchen counter.
Kang-Hyun sat stiffly at the dining table. Do-Jun hadn’t expected Kang-Hyun to arrive at his apartment in less than twenty minutes since his call.
“No, not at all. I’m grateful to be invited to your home,” Kang-Hyun replied, bowing slightly.
Do-Jun tilted his head slightly, noticing Kang-Hyun’s unusually tense demeanor. Then, his gaze shifted to the couch, where the two miniature dragons were napping side by side.
“Um, Supervisor Lee...”
Kang-Hyun’s hands trembled as he pointed at Yong-Yong and Karsiel. “T-they d-dragons...”
Two dragons. Sleeping on the couch.
“Oh.” Finally, Do-Jun understood why Kang-Hyun seemed so alarmed.
With a warm smile, he said, “Aren’t they cute?”
1. We are not sure why they didn’t mention the Busan Wyvern Lord incident when the same two dragons were sighted again. Maybe they are just talking about Seoul. ☜