Soo-Jin left his workplace with slow, dragging steps.

  The sky, veiled in a dull gray, seemed to weigh heavily on his already burdened shoulders.

  He didn’t head toward his apartment. Not tonight.

  His steps wandered aimlessly, yet his heart knew exactly where to go.

  After a few quiet minutes of walking, he stopped in front of a small, modest house wedged between two worn-out buildings. It looked as though it, too, was trying to fade into the background. But faint warmth still seeped through its windows.

  He hesitated.

  His hand hovered in the air before the door, unmoving. Then—three short knocks broke the silence.

  Footsteps echoed behind the door.

  It opened to reveal a man in his forties, with weathered features and a steady gaze. Dark circles underlined his eyes, but his energy hadn’t faded.

  It was Mr. Min-Jun, a long-time friend of Soo-Jin’s father. He, too, was a D-rank hunter.

  He had been part of the raid where Soo-Jin’s father lost his life.

  Since then, Min-Jun had kept a quiet eye on Soo-Jin and his sister—never quite a father figure, but something close. He checked in from time to time, just to make sure they were okay.

  He also had a six-year-old daughter from a divorced fiancée, whom he cared for at the end of each month. On those occasions, he would offer Soo-Jin and his sister some financial support, helping however he could.

  It was his way of honoring the memory of his fallen comrade.

  “Soo-Jin?” he asked in a hoarse, surprised voice.

  The young man nodded silently.

  Min-Jun stepped aside without another word, letting him in.

  The interior was modest, but it carried a kind of warmth that soothed the air.

  They exchanged a few small pleasantries. Then Min-Jun asked about his sister, concern etched clearly in his voice. Soo-Jin answered in a low, detached tone.

  But when his uncle asked how he was doing himself, he hesitated.

  Slowly, Soo-Jin pulled down his hood.

  Under the yellow light, deep purple bruises marked his face like spilled ink.

  Min-Jun’s expression darkened immediately.

  He straightened slightly, his eyes sharpening.

  “What the hell… What happened to you?” he asked, voice low and tense.

  Soo-Jin lowered his eyes, fiddling with the hem of his sleeve.

  “It’s nothing serious,” he mumbled.

  “They beat you again, didn’t they? Those kids at school?”

  “They’re not my classmates,” Soo-Jin said, pulling out a chair and sitting down. “I don’t have any connection to them.”

  “I know… I just have a hard time calling them ‘attackers’ or whatever. Makes me feel like some careless old fool.”

  He let out a breath and continued.

  “Just tell me what happened.”

  “I told you, it’s fine. Just a bad encounter. It’ll pass,” Soo-Jin replied softly.

  But Min-Jun said nothing.

  His silence lingered—quiet, but expectant.

  So Soo-Jin spoke.

  He explained what happened the night before, leaving out the unnecessary details.

  Min-Jun listened, arms crossed, nodding occasionally with a heavy expression—as if chewing on words he didn’t dare say out loud.

  When Soo-Jin finished, the room fell into a deep, oppressive silence.

  Only the sound of a television in the corner filled the background.

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  Eventually, Soo-Jin broke the quiet, his voice barely above a whisper:

  “The worst part of all this… is that my boss gave me a few days off. Maybe even weeks. Until I fully recover. But… I’m paid by the day, so I won’t get anything.”

  He lowered his head.

  No matter how he looked at it, this was the worst position he could be in—unable to help others, and powerless to help himself.

  Min-Jun grimaced slightly, as if he had expected this.

  “…Hmm.”

  He tapped the table with his fingers, deep in thought.

  He took a cigarette from his jacket, lit it, and exhaled slowly before speaking again, his tone now more pragmatic.

  “You know… with all these gates opening everywhere, hunters are constantly called in for raids.

  I’ve got one coming up in four days. A D-rank gate. Nothing major, but still…”

  He gave a tired smile.

  “They’ll need a porter. You could come with us.

  Civilians can be hired as porters. No awakening required.”

  Soo-Jin lifted his head slightly, surprised.

  “All the hunters are already registered, don’t worry. Two C-ranks, four D-ranks including me, and a few E-ranks doing their first run. It’s safe.”

  “As a porter, your job is simple.

  Stay a few meters behind the group while we clear the place, collect the loot afterward, and stash it in your bag. That’s it.”

  He shrugged.

  “It doesn’t pay much. Usually we take two porters when there are more than ten people.

  But if you’re the only one, you’ll earn a bit more.

  And if you stack a few of those raids, you can build up a decent amount.

  It’s better than nothing—especially if you can’t work anywhere else right now. This’ll keep some money flowing in.”

  His gaze darkened slightly.

  “But there’s a problem. Your injuries. Four days…”

  He let the sentence hang in the air.

  Soo-Jin inhaled slowly through his nose.

  Pain throbbed in his shoulder with every small movement, but even so, his voice didn’t waver:

  “Four days will be enough.”

  His eyes, though tired, were resolute.

  Min-Jun studied him for a long second, then nodded slowly, the corners of his mouth lifting faintly.

  He grabbed his phone and called someone.

  “Yeah, Min-Kyu, it’s me. I’ve got a porter for the raid.

  Someone I know. I’ll come with him the day of the mission.

  The rest is on you—find the others. I’ve done my part.”

  Then he hung up.

  “Alright. That’s that. Four days from now.”

  Soo-Jin stayed a little longer, chatting quietly with Min-Jun, before heading home.

  “Four days had passed since the incident.

  The pain had begun to fade, though his muscles and bruises still ached. He wasn’t fully healed, but his body—though weary—could handle movement again. The urgency of the raid outweighed caution. He knew he was ready for whatever came next.

  The pain remained, but it was manageable… for now.”

  On the day of the raid, Han Soo-Jin arrived alone.

  Min-Jun was supposed to arrive with him, but he wasn’t late—it was Soo-Jin who had come a bit early.

  He waited near the meeting point, watching.

  Around him, a group of hunters were already gathered—people he didn’t recognize.

  Some were laughing, others gesturing wildly, chatting in small, familiar circles. They clearly knew each other well. Veterans of many raids, no doubt.

  As more hunters arrived, Soo-Jin—quiet and reserved—looked for a place to sit.

  He found a stack of wooden planks and sat down, leaning against a large container.

  This kind of atmosphere was foreign to him.

  A world he’d never imagined being part of—especially for someone who had never awakened.

  He said nothing.

  Just waited in silence, as the hour of the raid slowly approached.

  It was then that a voice cut through the noise around them.

  “Shit, I’m so bored…” groaned a hunter, nervously tapping his thigh. It was Nam Gyu-Min.

  “The gate opens in two minutes, calm down. And we’re still waiting for the others,” replied Im Na-Rae.

  “Two minutes too long. Seriously, why do we always get stuck with these boring dungeons?” complained Gyu-Min.

  “Because we’re not in some damn rank S guild, that’s why,” Seo Ji-Hwan shot back.

  “And the others are taking forever to get here!” Gyu-Min grumbled.

  “We’re the ones who showed up too early, so stop complaining,” she retorted sharply.

  Gyu-Min sighed loudly.

  “Too early?! Yeah, sure… pfff,” he muttered, sweeping his gaze around. He paused for a moment.

  “Hey, who’s that guy over there?” he asked.

  “Who?” Ji-Hwan responded.

  “The guy who just arrived, the one sitting on the pile of boards,” Gyu-Min clarified.

  Ji-Hwan squinted.

  “Hmm… from his face and shy demeanor, he’s probably a rank E. Probably here for his first mission.”

  “Tch. I can already tell he’ll be crying at the first injury,” Gyu-Min chuckled.

  A brief silence followed before he shrugged.

  “Ugh, another one. Are we really stuck doing babysitting again?”

  “Wait a minute…” Choi Min-Kyu said, squinting his eyes. “I’m not sure he’s even a hunter. Even rank E hunters have a certain presence. This guy? He’s a total void.”

  “A rank E with presence?! Are rank E’s special now?!” Gyu-Min mocked.

  “I think he’s the porter for the mission. The one Min-Jun was talking about. Well, he could have at least gotten someone a little more reliable. With this, we’ll probably have to do the entire raid while he struggles to extract three ores, and he’ll probably need backup… risking the portal closing before we’re done,” Choi Min-Kyu grumbled.

  “Calm down a little. Min-Jun said he’d come with the porter, and it’s someone he knows well. The kid came alone. And the fact that he’s off to the side probably means he’s just a newly awakened rank E hunter,” Gyu-Min replied.

  Another man approached. It was Lee Sun-Woo.

  “Since we’re all bored, let’s make this interesting: how about we place a bet?” he suggested.

  “I say he’s a porter, but a second one. With our numbers, a second porter must’ve been hired. You owe me a beer and a good meal when we get out of the dungeon if I’m right,” he added.

  “Na-Rae, what do you think, is this kid…?” Sun-Woo started.

  He didn’t have time to finish. Im Na-Rae cut him off coldly.

  “Whether he’s a porter or a rank E hunter, I don’t care. Your debate is pointless and doesn’t interest me. If you really want my opinion, I suggest you find something better to do to pass the time before the portal opens, instead of playing like kids.”

  “Seriously, Na-Rae… You really don’t know how to be cool,” Nam Gyu-Min said with a small, falsely offended laugh.

  “Yeah, you kill the vibe as always. Fine, I’ll take the bet. You even get two beers if you win,” Gyu-Min added.

  “Alright, let’s check it out up close,” Sun-Woo suggested. Gyu-Min followed him in silence.

  Soo-Jin was lost in thought when two figures approached. He barely looked up as he heard mocking laughter. Nam Gyu-Min, taller with messy hair, placed a hand on his shoulder with a sly grin.

  “Hey, kid! Hiding off in the corner, huh? Another rank E for the mission, huh? What’s your name?”

  Soo-Jin looked up, feeling awkward, then lowered his gaze again, unsure how to respond. He remained silent.

  Gyu-Min grumbled to himself, “Damn it… If he’s this shy, he’s definitely rank E. Guess that bet’s lost.”

  He straightened up and said, frustrated:

  “So, the kid’s a hunter after all. Damn, looks like I’m treating tonight!”

  A faint and almost trembling voice spoke up.

  “My name is Han Soo-Jin… I’m the porter Mr. Jung said would join the mission,” he murmured, almost inaudible.

  “Huh?!” Gyu-Min exclaimed. “PORTER?!”

  A silence followed. Then, they burst out laughing mockingly.

  “Port… porter?! Hahaha, you’re one of those guys who just lingers behind carrying bags and equipment? That’s all you do?” Gyu-Min mocked, holding his sides, “and you’re all scrawny, too! What the hell does Jung think sometimes?”

  Then he yelled toward the group:

  “Hey, guys, it’s the porter! You were right! Hahaha!”

  They turned back to the others, still laughing.

  Soo-Jin heard the voices from a distance.

  “So I was right, two free beers for me at the exit!” Sun-Woo called out.

  “Hey, don’t get ahead of yourself, you said it was a second one. There’s only one, the kid from Mr. Jung,” Choi Min-Kyu replied.

  “Don’t cheat! I still said he’s a porter, and I was right!” Sun-Woo insisted.

  “Except you should’ve kept your mouth shut at that moment instead of adding ‘second’ at the end…” Min-Kyu groaned, mocking him.

  “Rrggg! That’s cheating… Hey, Im Na-Rae, is this normal?!”

  “Don’t involve me in your nonsense,” Na-Rae snapped.

  Soo-Jin had his head in his hands. He heard footsteps approach. Without lifting his head, he said in a tired tone:

  “I’m just a porter… not a hunter.”

  A familiar feminine voice responded:

  “I know. I didn’t come to ask you questions like that. By the way, their little game doesn’t interest me.”

  It was a voice Soo-Jin knew very well.

  He looked up.

  “Kyuang ah!!!”