Chapter 104: Chapter 104

“The rift this time is in Namyangju. It's not particularly large, but the rank is high, so the number of available Hunters is very limited. That's why we’re requesting your help, J…”

The rest of the words were the same as always. The rescue team was on standby, and once J arrived, they could expect immediate rescue operations and the rift to be resolved. While the rescue team worked, J would handle the monsters and wait until the signal came to kill the rift’s boss.

J nodded mechanically. Song Joheon smiled with satisfaction and patted J on the shoulder.

“I always trust you, J. We’re counting on you again this time.”

Well, whether or not that trust was genuine, J wasn’t sure. He knew full well that most of the work fell onto him. How could he not? But he endured it. It was the only way to save more people.

“J!”

As J left the conference room and walked down the hallway, he lifted his head at the sound of a familiar voice. A middle-aged woman with a warm expression was standing at the end of the hallway, arms wide open and smiling brightly.

J glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then quickened his pace slightly. His voice carried a faint smile as he spoke.

“Auntie.”

The woman’s ID badge, identifying her as a government employee, swung from her neck. Park Hye-kyung. When J got close enough, he momentarily stiffened, taking a step back. He remembered the grimace from the rookie Hunter earlier.

‘If the scent of blood is too strong…’

But Hye-kyung stepped forward without hesitation and pulled J into a hug. She showed no signs of disgust. Her warm hand gently patted his back, and only then did J let his tense body relax.

“I called you knowing there was no one around. You’re always so worried.”

“Yes.”

“My, you've grown. Did you get taller again?”

“Yes, a bit.”

“Every time I see you, you’re taller than before. You’re not working too hard, are you?”

“Maybe. We haven’t had much time to meet since you were assigned to the Incheon branch.”

Their conversation was the kind of affectionate exchange you’d expect from family members reunited after a long time. But they weren’t really family. They only used the terms “aunt” and “nephew” for convenience.

Their real connection was that they were the only two survivors from a rift that had claimed their families. That shared experience had forged a bond stronger than blood.

J studied Hye-kyung’s face. She looked much healthier than she had when she was at headquarters. It made sense—the branch in Incheon had a fixed region to manage, making it much easier than constantly traveling across the country with the main office. J smiled, feeling relieved.

“What brings you to headquarters today?”

“Seok-jung called me over for a quick chat.”

The hug ended, and Hye-kyung’s worried brown eyes scanned J from head to toe.

“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you? Sleeping well? Eating properly? I saw in the news that you’ve been traveling all over the country lately.”

“I’m fine.”

“Tch, they’re pushing you too hard… Sending a kid who just turned twenty all over the place.”

Hye-kyung clicked her tongue and let out a deep sigh.

“I’m thinking of talking to Seok-jung and coming back to headquarters. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you on your own.”

“Oh, come on, why would you come back to HQ? You’re much better off in Incheon. I’m really fine.”

“......”

Despite J’s sincere words, the worry didn’t leave Hye-kyung’s face. At that moment, J’s watch beeped loudly. It was probably the helicopter team, urging him to hurry. They were wondering why he hadn’t arrived yet. J pressed his earpiece and gave a slight bow.

“I’m sorry. I’d like to talk more, but I have to head out.”

“…Where are you going this time?”

“Namyangju. It’s close by.”

Hye-kyung opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something more, but J spoke first. He grasped her hand firmly and said with conviction,

“I’ll be fine.”

Even as he spoke, the watch on his wrist continued to buzz relentlessly.

"I'm fine."

*Screech!*

‘I’m fine.’

A giant bird flapped its wings before collapsing. J skillfully retrieved his spear. The bird, with a large hole in its chest, fell to the ground with a thud.

He stood before the tightly shut gate of a massive ruin. Surrounding him, monster corpses were piled high like a mountain. Blood from the bodies had formed small puddles, slowly expanding. J stepped back to avoid the pooling blood and stared out into the forest beyond.

Faint cries, groans, and screams echoed in the distance. The urge to cover his ears crept up on him.

‘...I have to be fine.’

J pressed his fist to his chest and took a deep breath.

Then it happened.

*Boom!* Something exploded in the distance, beyond the forest—a red flare shot up. It was the signal. The rescue team had completed the evacuation.

This was J’s usual role in the missions: eliminate monsters while waiting for the rescue team to finish, and once the evacuation was complete, kill the rift's master.

J lightly jumped over the pile of corpses and stood before the closed gate. He braced himself and kicked it with force. *Boom!* The stone door shattered with a thunderous crash.

*Roaaar!*

The master of the rift, crouching within the dark temple, let out a deafening roar. Its glowing red eyes pierced through the darkness, gleaming menacingly. Not only the temple but the very ground trembled under its power.

J felt a shiver run down his spine, but he didn’t retreat. He simply adjusted his grip on his spear and charged forward. He could feel the blood rushing through his body. A grin spread across his face, baring his teeth.

"......"

…Everything after that was a blur.

Some time later, J blinked slowly. The dark temple was gone, and only the ruined streets remained in his sight. Hunters with white armbands were bustling around, cleaning up. He could see corpses covered in white cloth, with people sobbing over them.

"......"

J clutched his head. His temples throbbed painfully. Recently, he’d been experiencing more and more blackouts during missions. Whether it was from adrenaline or excitement—or perhaps like those martial arts stories, where one enters a state of complete focus—he wasn’t sure.

When he snapped back to reality, he often found himself outside the rift, drenched in blood, sitting quietly near the entrance. It had happened more than once.

‘This time, too…’

He slowly clenched and unclenched his hands. They were wet with blood, but otherwise unharmed. His spear lay beside him. His limbs moved fine, and there were no major injuries.

‘…Well, that’s good enough.’

Even thinking too deeply felt like it drained his energy. He just wanted to leave this noisy place and find some quiet. As soon as J closed his eyes again, someone approached him.

“Th-thank you for your hard work, J! You were amazing today, as always!”

It was the rookie Hunter he had seen on the stairs before. Covered in dust, he looked like he had been rolling around in the dirt. J didn’t bother to respond, but the rookie cautiously edged closer.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Should I give you a potion? I don’t have many, but I could spare one…”

If J didn’t say anything, the rookie would likely continue hovering around. Slowly, J opened his mouth.

“…No, I’m fine.”

At that moment, a mechanical voice sounded in his earpiece.

—A dungeon has emerged in Chungju. Your support is needed. A helicopter is ready for you at headquarters, J.

It was time to save people again. Deep down, J wanted nothing more than to lie down and not move, but his body was already acting on its own. He rose to his feet, his movements mechanical. The rookie spoke with concern.

“But J, you’re bleeding…”

“It’s not my blood.”

J replied curtly, then pressed his earpiece and staggered forward.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I’ll return immediately.”

His spear thudded against the ground as he walked, and drops of blood fell from its tip.

---

After a quick rinse in the shower, J headed straight for the outdoor stairs. Even if it was just for a moment, he needed some time alone.

But it seemed like there was already someone there. He peeked out cautiously and spotted a familiar figure. The man wore a black suit, his back turned toward J.

The wind gently tousled his blonde hair as it blew by. A small sigh escaped the man, and a puff of white smoke dissipated into the air. J leaned against the stair railing and spoke.

“Jung Bin.”

“Huh?”

Startled, Jung Bin straightened up and turned around. He had trained at the police academy, so his every movement was precise and deliberate. But once he realized it was J, he relaxed slightly. Awkwardly, Jung Bin stubbed out his cigarette and offered a sheepish smile.

“Ah, it’s you, J. I didn’t sense your presence. Sorry about that.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I had a bit of free time, so I was resting.”

“You could rest in the lounge.”

“Uh…”

Jung Bin glanced around and shrugged.

“Well, I thought I’d give others some space to rest…”

He trailed off, but J understood what he meant. He had chosen the outdoor stairs for the same reason—finding an out-of-the-way place where people wouldn’t bother him. J spoke calmly.

“It’s uncomfortable, right?”

Jung Bin didn’t answer verbally, instead offering a vague smile.

Three years had passed since the Day of the Rift. Monsters still appeared sporadically, and while the situation in Korea seemed stable on the surface, it was far from peaceful.

Two S-rank Hunters had appeared like shooting stars—J and Jung Bin. One handled dungeons and rifts, while the other dealt with awakening-related crimes, traveling across the country. But no matter how stable things looked on the outside, the internal chaos remained.

The Awakener Management Bureau had been established, but crimes involving Awakeners were still rampant. And only Jung Bin had the authority to imprison such criminals. On top of that, there were far more monsters, dungeons, and rifts than there were active Hunters, creating a constant manpower shortage.

Most of the first-generation Awakeners had died fighting monsters or were no longer able to fight, and the newly awakened lacked the necessary experience. The battle against monsters was a war of attrition. With such a numbers gap, it was inevitable that gaps would appear.

But there was no one else to fill those gaps.

‘It’s up to the two of us.’

J gazed at Jung Bin silently.