Chapter 1 – Hunter Has Been Appointed - 1
It was on a summer day when I was ten years old that I finally realized I was living my second life in another world.
I had been reincarnated with all my memories from my original world up until the age of twenty. As I grew older, I slowly began to notice that the sensibilities of this world were slightly different from the ones I knew before.
Yet, at the same time, so many things were surprisingly similar. Except for what I saw on TV and the general personalities of people, most parts of daily life felt nearly identical to the world where I originally lived.
When I watched a variety show where a female singer's T-shirt ripped during a live broadcast, exposing her abs and breasts, I naturally thought, 'Ah, that must be a broadcast accident.'
When the news reported a case about a woman secretly filming a men's bathhouse, I was amazed that even here, there were such unusual types of female perverts.
Back in kindergarten, girls my age used to pull down boys' pants and tease them, shouting "Ice Pop!" while laughing loudly.
Seeing the pranked boy collapse to his knees and burst into tears, I simply thought it was because he was still young and sensitive.
Before being reincarnated, I had lived in Korea for twenty years. In this second life, which had not yet reached ten years, changing the deeply ingrained values and common sense in my mind was far harder than I expected.
Among all the things I struggled to accept, the existence of a job called Hunter was the most unbelievable.
"The Korean government held a ceremony today to celebrate the retirement of Hunter Kang Eun Young, who defeated over five hundred high-ranking monsters…"
When I saw such news being broadcast so confidently on TV, I thought I was the protagonist of some kind of large-scale Truman Show.
The girls here were bolder, while the boys were shy and timid. These differences were considered natural personality traits.
I even saw a female singer who once exposed her breasts still working proudly on television. I thought she must have been a woman with a strong will, and I silently cheered for her.
On the internet, I stumbled upon personal broadcasts where half-naked men openly showed their bodies while acting seductive. I blamed YouTube's cursed algorithm for dragging me into a world full of twisted desires.
Whenever something felt off compared to my previous common sense, I tried my best to ignore it. I convinced myself that little differences were nothing to worry about.
But ten years passed, and eventually, I could no longer deny it. Hunters, monsters, dungeons, and guilds—elements that seemed blatantly fictional—truly existed in reality.
It wasn't time that convinced me. It was the world itself forcing me to accept the truth.
Even up until the summer vacation of my tenth year, I still remained doubtful about Hunters and those other bizarre beings.
That was until the day an event occurred that completely changed my life.
"Quaaaaa! Monster! A monster escaped!!"
"Help us! Mom!"
"Call the Hunter Guild! Hurry!"
It was June 15th, 2065.
On my tenth birthday, I went for a walk with my parents to the children's park.
"Mom! Dad!"
"Taekyung! Run away! Hurry!"
"Mom! Dad!!"
Right before my eyes, something that looked like neither a giant lizard nor an iguana devoured my parents whole. As a ten-year-old, I was forced to witness the horrifying scene from beginning to end.
A retired Hunter who happened to be nearby eventually rushed over and managed to deal with the monster. But by then, my mother and father of this world would never smile at me again.
Even when I was three, I had needed both of my tiny hands just to wrap around one of my father's fingers whenever I held his hand. And now, that warmth was gone forever.
June 15th.
Ten-year-old Seong Taekyung became an orphan like that.
…
…
Just like the victims of every monster incident, I also accepted the sudden death of my parents calmly. To be more precise, I had no choice but to accept it with a heavy heart.
Even though this world was called Korea, its common sense was different from the one I knew before. Yet the danger of a ten-year-old suddenly being left alone in society was definitely just as severe as in my previous world.
Even walking with my eyes open could get someone robbed in Seoul, a city where I ended up. As an orphan without protection, I didn't know what kind of schemes I would face behind the scenes.
I already knew countless stories from my past life. Relatives stealing property left behind by parents. Children being starved or abused in the name of guardianship. Insurance companies refusing rightful payments through absurd loopholes and terms. These kinds of tragedies happened all the time.
If I wasn't careful, I could easily become the main character of a tragic news article that people would forget the next day.
Fortunately, although my body was only ten years old, my mind had nearly thirty years of experience if I excluded my early childhood. So it wasn't too difficult to look for someone who could truly help me in such a dangerous moment.
First, even though I hadn't contacted them in a while, I ignored every proposal from relatives who reached out to me. I rejected all of them without hesitation.
Even an eighth cousin I had never heard of suddenly pretended to care about me and offered help. No matter how I looked at it, their intentions didn't feel pure in the slightest.
There were also civic groups claiming they would protect me, and various nurseries insisting they would take care of me.
One time, I even heard that a group of runaway teenagers learned about my situation and tried to break into my house. Fortunately, one of the most trustworthy systems in this world was the police force.
With their help, most of the people who tried to approach me with strange motives were quickly restricted and prohibited from getting near me.
After that, I worked endlessly. I was searching through documents in a hurry and running back and forth between the district and ward offices.
Even though I was only ten years old, I managed to protect the two-story house and the savings my parents had left behind. It became the greatest achievement I had accomplished in this second life. It was something I could genuinely be proud of.
After reaching that point through my own efforts, the next thing I truly needed was the support of a reliable adult.
Since my parents' belongings were already legally under my name, no one could take them away under the pretext of guardianship. That meant I had to find someone who would help me without selfish intentions.
Someone who knew both me and my parents to some extent. Someone who had maintained a steady relationship with us even until recently.
A person who wouldn't see me as a burden or an opportunity for personal gain. Someone who could genuinely act like family. And if possible, someone who even understood how to handle incidents involving monsters.
Fortunately, among the people I knew, there was exactly one person who fit that description.
As soon as that person came to mind, my feet moved on their own, leading me toward the house next door—where my childhood friend lived.
I rang the doorbell and stepped inside once the door opened. But instead of my childhood friend, a slightly younger woman greeted me from within the house.
"Hello, Hyeeun's mother."
The expression on the aunt's face softened into genuine pity the moment she saw me. Just from that alone, I knew I had come to the right person for help.
"Tae-Taekyung is here. How have you been these days? Are you eating well?"
"I'm managing. I received too many calls from people here and there at first, but things have settled down a bit now. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to contact you."
"You don't need to apologize for that. I'm just relieved you're holding up. You've always been a strong boy, so I believe you'll endure it well…"
"I have to. For my parents."
"Oh dear… at such a young age, speaking so maturely already…"
My calm tone must have looked heartbreaking in her eyes. Kang Hyeeun's mother suddenly pulled me into her arms and cried loudly, saying she felt so sorry for me.
"Hyeeun's mother… Actually, I came today because I have something to ask you."
"Yes, of course. Do you need anything? Are you hungry? I can cook you a proper meal. No—better yet, I'll pack up plenty of food, rice and side dishes so you can eat comfortably anytime. Or do you need some allowance?"
"It's okay. I didn't come here to ask for that."
"Alright… but if you need anything, just tell me anytime."
She lost her husband to a monster incident as well. Maybe that was why she sympathized deeply with me, a child who had lost both parents in such a tragic way.
It felt like I was taking advantage of her grief, but in order to survive as a ten-year-old in this world, I had to use every bit of help I could get.
"Then… may I ask for one favor, Auntie?"
"You don't have to limit it to one. Tell me anything."
"My parents had an insurance policy. I went to the insurance company to claim it, but they told me I need a guardian."
I lifted my head and looked straight into her eyes.
"Right now, the only adult I can truly trust is you. I'm sorry to trouble you, but… could you help me with this?"
…
…
After Auntie became my temporary guardian, everything began to progress smoothly.
We protested firmly against the insurance company when they tried to reduce the payment with absurd excuses. In the end, we received even more compensation than originally expected.
All the remaining savings from my parents' various bank accounts were gathered into a single account under my control. Auntie also helped me pay the overdue utility bills and informed me about multiple support funds available for children who lost their parents to monsters.
Hyeeun's mother truly treated me like her own child and helped me in every possible way.
Perhaps because she once worked in a related field, she was incredibly knowledgeable about these matters. Thanks to her guidance, I was able to handle every problem that piled up before me without falling into chaos.
I felt deep gratitude toward her, and at the same time, a new dream quietly began to grow in my heart.
One day, when I became an adult and strong enough, I would become a Hunter. And I would make sure no one would lose their family to monsters ever again—not like me, and not like Auntie.
…
…
Twelve years passed.
June 2077.
"Ha… so this is what real life looks like."
I, Seong Taekyung, a 22-year-old unemployed man, lay sprawled on my bed and sighed over my miserable situation.
Back then, I had no idea how difficult it was for a man to become a Hunter.