"Does South Korea Have Its First National Rank Hunter?"
"Cha Min-Jae, The Hunter from One of South Korea's Prominent Guilds, Cleared the S-Rank Dungeon Break of Japan, Tokyo in Less Than 24 Hours—Solo."
"The New Face of Global Hunter Rankings: Cha Min-Jae Eliminates 28 Giants Alone."
"Japan Thanks South Korea's Rising S-Rank for Single-Handedly Saving Tokyo."
...
The headlines were from famous articles and major news channels all over the world. The news of Cha Min-Jae clearing the Japan Dungeon Break solo spread like wildfire across the globe.
Every big and wealthy country in the world started preparing themselves to recruit Min-Jae to their side—and the USA was at the top of that list.
---
As the Dungeon Break situation was completely resolved and the chaos of the giants had been eliminated by Min-Jae, the people of Tokyo began returning to their homes.
But as Min-Jae made his way to the airport, something extraordinary happened.
Crowds lined both sides of the road—thousands upon thousands of people, standing shoulder to shoulder, some waving, some crying, some simply staring in awe as his convoy passed. The road stretched all the way to the airport, and the entire route was filled with people.
Children held up signs. Adults bowed deeply. Some shouted thanks in broken Korean. Others simply stood in silence, overwhelmed by gratitude.
Even at the airport, the scene was no different. The crowd outside was massive, held back by security barriers and police officers. Cameras flashed from every direction. Reporters shouted questions that were lost in the noise.
Min-Jae walked through it all with his usual calm demeanor, hands in his pockets, blindfold in place. He didn't wave. He didn't stop for photos. He just kept moving.
---
After another two-hour flight, Min-Jae finally returned to Seoul, South Korea.
And even in Seoul, he was swarmed by reporters and crowds of people waiting for him at the airport. Somehow, he managed to slip past them with the help of guild security and teleportation, and within an hour of landing, he finally made it back to his apartment.
---
The door opened, and Cha Hae-In looked up from where she sat on the couch, reading a book.
"You're back," she said, setting the book aside.
"Yeah," Min-Jae replied, closing the door behind him.
She stood up and walked over, her expression a mix of relief and exasperation. "The whole world is talking about you. Do you know that?"
"I figured."
"They're calling you a national hero in Japan. And here, the association is already preparing for press conferences and medal ceremonies."
Min-Jae sighed. "Great."
She studied his face for a moment. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Just tired."
"You look tired." She paused. "Did you eat?"
"Not yet."
"I made food. Sit down."
"Thanks."
He dropped his bag by the door and headed to the dining table. Cha Hae-In brought out the meal she'd prepared—simple but well-made. They ate in comfortable silence, the kind that came from familiarity.
After finishing, Min-Jae thanked her again and headed upstairs.
---
He put away the things he'd carried to Japan—most of which he hadn't even used—and took a long, relaxing bath. The hot water helped ease the tension in his muscles, even though he wasn't physically tired.
After drying off and changing into comfortable clothes, he sat down at his desk.
The room was quiet. The city lights outside his window flickered softly.
Min-Jae leaned back in his chair and thought about his current power level.
'Infinity works well against those with brute force. But who knows how much it can keep up against beings like the Monarchs or Rulers? And the Reverse Cursed Technique—how much can it actually heal? I haven't tested its limits yet.'
He frowned.
'Come on, system. You're supposed to help. Look at Sung Jin-Woo's system—it gives him quests, rewards, new abilities. And here you are, completely vanished after I entered this universe.'
Suddenly, a translucent screen materialized in front of him.
**[Do you need any help?]**
Min-Jae blinked. Then he leaned forward, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "No. I was just thinking if you were fine or not. You know, just checking in."
The screen didn't change.
He sighed. "Yes. I need help. Give me new power. Maybe Wang Ling's abilities? Or Anos? Just give me a template or something."
The screen flickered.
**[No.]**
Min-Jae stared at it. "What do you mean, no?"
The system gave no explanation. No reason. Just a flat refusal.
His face dropped. "Then I'll die, won't I?" He leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling. "At least tell me I get another life in the Rent a Girlfriend world after dying here."
No response.
The screen remained blank.
Min-Jae let out a long, frustrated breath. "Of course."
He closed his eyes, rubbing his temples.
'So I'm on my own. No new powers. No system support. Just me and the abilities I already have.'
He sat there in silence for a while, thinking.
'Fine. If that's how it is, then I'll just have to get better with what I have. Train harder. Push the limits of Infinity, Hollow Purple, telekinesis—everything. If the Monarchs and Rulers are as strong as the King of Giants said, then I need to be ready.'
He opened his eyes and stared at the screen, which was still hovering in front of him.
"Anything else you want to tell me?" he asked.
The screen flickered once, then disappeared.
Min-Jae shook his head and stood up.
"Great talk," he muttered.
He walked over to his bed and lay down, staring at the ceiling.
'One step at a time. Get stronger. Survive. And figure out what the hell is coming.'
With that thought, he closed his eyes and let exhaustion take over.