Raven was walking down the street. It hadn't even been a week since the road reconstruction began, so as he passed by, he saw construction workers busy at work. But he wasn't there to watch them—Raven was heading to the hunter shop to exchange his mana crystal for money.
He frowned. Despite the hot weather, he was wearing a black hoodie that clung uncomfortably to his skin. The heat was unbearable, and sweat had already begun to form on his back. Still, he kept the hood up, shielding his face from view.
Clicking his tongue, Raven quickened his pace toward the bus stop.
---
Soon, he arrived at the same hunter shop where he had previously sold a mana crystal earned from a daily quest. The building looked the same—modest but fortified, with a faint magical barrier humming at the entrance.
As he stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted.
There were three customers speaking with an agent, and another one at the counter. The moment Raven entered, all eyes turned to him. His hood covered half of his face, casting a shadow over his expression. To the others, it looked like he was trying to hide his identity.
The air grew tense.
The people inside stiffened. Their gazes sharpened, and their postures subtly shifted. These weren't ordinary civilians—they were hunters. And to them, Raven's behavior was suspicious. This wasn't how a normal customer acted.
Feeling their stares, Raven froze. Sweat beaded on his forehead as a heavy pressure settled over him. It was suffocating. He felt like if he took another step forward, he might be attacked.
He gulped and slowly raised his head, meeting their eyes. Some of them had glowing irises, radiating mana. Their auras were terrifying—like beasts watching their prey.
Realizing he had been misunderstood, Raven slowly raised his hands and pulled back his hood, revealing his flushed, sweating face. His smile was awkward and forced. He hadn't expected to cause trouble just by walking into the store.
Seeing his face, the people gradually withdrew their auras. Though their reaction seemed harsh, it was understandable—these weren't ordinary people, but hunters.
Hunters, especially those who had participated in dungeon raids, were battle-hardened individuals. Their vigilance was far greater than that of awakened individuals who didn't actively enter dungeons—let alone ordinary civilians.
Even the store employees were on guard. Any staff would be alarmed if a suspicious person entered their store. And this wasn't just any store—it dealt in magical artifacts. Their heightened reaction was only natural.
Though Raven had acted suspiciously at first, the people in the store chose not to escalate the situation. They simply watched him, curious about his intentions. Some even recognized him and were quietly amused. But unlike ordinary people, no one pulled out a phone to take a picture or record him. Raven could tell they recognized him, and though he felt embarrassed, there was nothing he could do. He had already caused an unnecessary misunderstanding. All he wanted now was to finish his business and leave as soon as possible.
The man at the counter recognized Raven and remembered his previous visit. Seeing him again left him speechless.
'What is it now?'
the man wondered—until he saw Raven pull a mana crystal from his pocket. The manager's smile twitched. Due to Raven's recent fame, the branch manager had come to recognize him. He had also learned that Raven, contrary to his initial assumption, wasn't a licensed hunter but an ordinary civilian.
There were no rules explicitly prohibiting civilians from exchanging mana crystals for money, but in practice, only licensed hunters ever obtained such items.
This crystal seemed suspicious. But considering Raven's status—and his impulsiveness—it wasn't entirely impossible that he had secretly snuck into a dungeon gate, right?
---
The manager took the crystal and tested its condition. He looked surprised—each one was high-grade. Even the last crystal Raven had brought in was the same. The manager couldn't help but wonder if Raven was hiding something.
'Did he really sneak into a dungeon alone and collect these crystals?' the manager thought, eyeing Raven.
After appraising the rest, the manager handed Raven his payment: 98,500 credits.
Holding such a large sum, Raven took a deep breath. He had never held this much money in either of his two lives. Clutching the cash, he quietly left under the watchful eyes of the hunters.
---
When Raven returned to the hospital, it was already afternoon. He walked through the familiar white halls, the scent of antiseptic clinging to the air. At the billing counter, he pulled out the envelope of cash.
"I'm here to pay the remaining balance," he said, his voice low but steady.
The receptionist blinked in surprise, then quickly checked the records. "You're paying in full?"
Raven nodded.
She gave him a soft smile. "That's good to hear. I'll process it right away."
As she worked, Raven stood silently, watching the numbers on the screen. The total was steep—far more than what most people could afford without insurance. But he didn't flinch. This proved how lucrative the profession was. Even someone like him, who only collected a few low-rank mana crystals, could earn this much. Not to mention those hunters who regularly participated in dungeon raids—their wallets must be overflowing.
After a few minutes, the transaction was complete. The receipt printed with a soft whir, and the woman handed it to him with both hands.
"Thank you. The patient's account is now fully settled."
Raven took the paper and smiled. "Thank you."
He left the hospital without looking back.
---
Raven didn't waste time. He headed straight for the Hunter Association headquarters. Torres had warned him about the consequences of delaying registration, but that wasn't the only reason he was in a hurry. Tomorrow marked another seven-day cycle—he would likely receive another weekly quest.
If he didn't apply for assessment today, he might be in trouble next week. Injuries from the quest could delay his registration or, worse, cause another round of rumors if he showed up to the evaluation with fresh wounds.
As he approached the Association building, Raven made sure not to repeat the same mistake he had made at the hunter shop. Entering this place looking suspicious could get him attacked. Hunters were far more vigilant than ordinary people. Hunters followed an unspoken rule: never act or approach others suspiciously—especially fellow hunters—since misunderstandings could easily arise when magical abilities were involved. It was always better to be safe than sorry.
The moment Raven stepped inside, murmurs began to ripple through the lobby. Those who recognized him whispered to one another, and those who didn't quickly asked what was going on. Within seconds, Raven became the center of attention.
His face tightened with discomfort. He quickened his pace toward the front desk and asked how to apply for evaluation.
The agent answered politely and pointed him toward the registration office. Raven thanked them and hurried off.
People watched him with amusement. It wasn't every day you saw a viral internet figure in person.
---
At the registration site, Raven was handed a form to fill out. It was mostly basic personal information. He didn't need to complete everything—some sections were reserved for the agents handling his assessment.
Once done, he joined the line of applicants waiting for their turn. There were seven people ahead of him. Two looked nervous, whispering prayers. Three others chatted quietly, though their glances toward the evaluation room and awkward smiles betrayed their anxiety. The last two stood silently, lost in thought.
Raven sat down and pulled out his phone.
1:42 PM.
Two unread messages blinked on the screen, but he ignored them for now. He had more pressing concerns.
He opened a hotel app and began searching for nearby places to stay. The recent incident had made his current apartment unbearable. While the online mockery was annoying, it was nothing compared to the tension in his building.
Many residents had lost loved ones or suffered injuries during the recent dungeon outbreak. When Raven's incident came to light, panic spread like wildfire. People didn't wait to confirm whether there was a monster—they ran the moment they heard there was a body. The trauma was still fresh.
The chaos had caused more injuries. Elderly tenants nearly had heart attacks. Others were hurt in the stampede to flee. If not for the hunters working on the nearby construction site, the situation could've been far worse.
After the Association released a statement, many residents believed it. They remembered their fear. And in their eyes, Raven—who had survived a monster attack—might be mentally unstable.
He became the target of their frustration.
Raven understood. But that didn't mean he accepted it.
He didn't like being used as an emotional punching bag. That was why he was leaving. He wasn't the type to passively endure just to make others feel better.
It hadn't turned violent yet, but it was only a matter of time. If things continued, Raven knew he'd eventually snap—and if he retaliated, the consequences would be severe.
People didn't understand the gap between awakened and ordinary individuals. They assumed Raven was weak, just as the reports said. They weren't concerned about provoking him. If he lashed out, they'd claim the moral high ground. He'd be labeled unstable, dangerous.
And the authorities? They'd side with the majority.
It was harsh, but it was human nature. People, when overwhelmed by fear and grief, could easily justify cruelty.
Not everyone in the building treated him that way—but those who didn't simply watched in silence. They had their own problems. They didn't care enough to intervene.
Raven scrolled through listings until one caught his eye—a modest hotel in Santa Maria, Bulacan. He hadn't been searching for anything specific, just passing time while the line inched forward. But this one stood out.
The hotel wasn't flashy. Modest rates, quiet surroundings, and no unnecessary requirements. It was far from where he stood now, but something about it felt right.
He hadn't realized it until now, but this was exactly the kind of place he needed.
Bulacan was technically a province, but not too rural. Its proximity to Metro Manila gave it decent infrastructure without the suffocating density of the capital. Living costs weren't too high, but not suspiciously low either. And for someone like Raven—who didn't need to worry about money thanks to the steady stream of mana crystals from his daily tasks—it was ideal.
He didn't know much about guild territories or how influence was divided, but as far as he was aware, no large guilds were directly based in Bulacan. That alone made the place feel lighter. Less complicated.
He bookmarked it.
Then, with a quiet breath, Raven closed the app and slipped his phone back into his pocket. The line had moved forward. He straightened in his seat, eyes forward, waiting for his turn.