Breaking Up with the #1 S-Class

A day has passed since I obtained the EX-class skill.

Looking out the window, I could see the rising sun.

And seeing that sun, I naturally sighed.

Because I hadn’t slept a single wink.

‘This is crazy…’

I was worried that if I slept and woke up, everything might have been a dream, but I had no reason to worry about that.

Because now, due to the Hero skill, I’ve become someone who can’t even sleep.

‘Seriously, what is a hero supposed to be…’

The Hero skill clearly stated that all physical abilities are enhanced and status ailments and diseases are removed.

I somewhat understood why the intoxication disappeared when drinking alcohol, but I never expected sleep to disappear too.

I never dreamed that sleep or drowsiness would also be considered status ailments.

As a result, all feelings of fatigue disappeared from my body.

Wondering if I might get sleepy if I got tired, I tried to make my body as tired as possible, but even after filling the trash can with wet tissues, I didn’t feel any fatigue at all.

No matter how many times I tried, I was always in the best condition.

It seems I’ve become the owner of an insane body.

It’s like I’ve gained an absurd level of healthiness.

Honestly, I’m starting to fear my own body.

‘I guess it’s good to be good…’

Of course, it’s not bad.

Rather, it’s an ability many people would want. Having a strong body and the ability to not need sleep are undoubtedly incredibly good abilities.

But I’m still not used to not having to do things I’ve been doing all my life overnight.

Especially the feeling of being awake when everyone else is sleeping at a time when I should normally be sleeping was strange.

It seems like it will take quite a long time to get used to it.

“Yawn. What? Oppa woke up early. What’s the occasion?”

As I was sitting blankly on the living room sofa, Si-eun came out.

Si-eun, wearing cute penguin pajamas, greeted me with a yawn.

“Yes, Si-eun. Did you sleep well? I happened to wake up early.”

I returned her greeting.

Usually, I’m the type who doesn’t get up until Si-eun comes to wake me.

Since I always do things to the point of suffering from sleep deprivation, I don’t wake up well in the morning.

Si-eun knows this about me, so she seems a bit puzzled that I’m up today.

“I see. Anyway, wait a bit. It’s a bit early, but I’ll make breakfast.”

“Okay.”

Si-eun looked at me curiously for a moment, then put on an apron.

And as always, she started preparing food in the kitchen.

I sat at the dining table waiting for Si-eun’s meal.

Chop chop.

Bubble bubble.

Delicious smells and sounds started to spread.

The menu was doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew).

“It’s doenjang jjigae today, huh?”

“Yes. Eat it before it gets cold.”

Si-eun moved the deliciously cooked doenjang jjigae and warm rice to the table.

Then she sat down.

Drooling, I picked up my spoon first.

Munch munch.

It was quite savory and delicious.

“This is really delicious. Compared to a year ago, it’s incomparably better.”

“Back then… well. I cooked without knowing anything.”

I expressed my honest impression.

Si-eun showed a pleased smile at my honest feedback.

Originally, cooking was my responsibility in this house, but a year ago, Si-eun told me she wanted to take care of the cooking.

I initially refused, but as Si-eun strongly insisted, I eventually agreed.

Thus, when I first tasted Si-eun’s cooking, it was really bad.

Si-eun’s cooking, who had never cooked in her life, couldn’t be delicious from the start.

The doenjang jjigae was so salty that it was inedible.

But after my sister started cooking a year ago, it seems her cooking skills have improved considerably during that time.

Now, I can only praise it.

It tastes like it wouldn’t be out of place even in a restaurant.

“Oppa, I have a question, how is the hunter test conducted?”

“Ah… the hunter test? Oh. Since Si-eun is also 17, it is time for the hunter test.”

While eating deliciously, Si-eun asked me.

I briefly thought about the past at that question.

“It’s nothing special. You just use your power in front of the examiner, that’s all.”

“Hmm… I see.”

I simply shared the information I knew.

Si-eun nodded.

Hunter test.

All teenagers take a hunter aptitude test along with a health check-up in the winter of their 17th year.

Si-eun is now 17, and she will probably take the hunter test in a few months.

It feels somewhat emotional.

It makes me think about how much time has passed.

When I took the hunter test in the past, Si-eun was a complete kid, but now that kid Si-eun is taking the hunter test, it feels a bit different.

“Oppa. If, you know. If I become a hunter, what will you do?”

While recalling old memories and eating deliciously again, Si-eun subtly asked me.

“I’ll absolutely oppose it, of course.”

And I answered that question decisively.

Si-eun becoming a hunter is what I least want in the world.

“What if I turn out to be S-class, would you still oppose it?”

“Yes. As I’ve said before, I don’t want you to do dangerous work like being a hunter…”

Si-eun asked again, but my answer remained the same.

Hunter.

Teenagers often misunderstand…

Sorry, but being a hunter is definitely not a profession full of dreams and romance.

It’s a profession where you can always die and face the risk of betrayal.

There are absolutely no exceptions for hunters.

Just look at how the once-strong Yoo Eun-ha fell…

No, even before that, just looking at the many lives lost by hunters, you can understand the essence of the hunter profession.

A hunter is always facing death.

Therefore, I have no intention of letting Si-eun do hunter work, not even over my dead body.

Even if I die.

My sacrifice alone is enough.

I hope Si-eun doesn’t do work like being a hunter and lives an ordinary life.

I’ll earn a lot of money for her.

“And S-class isn’t the name of someone’s pet dog. Do you think you’ll get it?”

Si-eun had a slightly hesitant expression, but I said to her.

Actually, this is an unnecessary worry.

S-class is a talent that might appear once in a decade, if that.

It’s such a rare talent that it’s reasonable to assume Si-eun wouldn’t have such talent.

In the first place, this argument with Si-eun about what to do if she turns out to be an S-class hunter is meaningless.

“Hmm. That’s true…”

Si-eun also readily agreed with my words.

Somehow she had a slightly glum smile, but I felt it was my imagination.

“Ah! It’s already this time. I’ll go to school now, oppa.”

“Okay. Take care, Si-eun.”

The time was already pointing to 8 o’clock.

Si-eun looked at the clock, hurriedly went to her room to put on her school uniform, and stood at the front door.

I waved to Si-eun, and Si-eun smiled brightly before running off to school.

“Now, let me do what I need to do today.”

I organized the dishes on the table and stretched.

Today is quite an important day, not a day to go to gates, but a day with something even more important.

That was finding a guild.

“A large guild would be better if possible.”

Guild.

A term referring to a group of hunters, conventionally called a guild but.

In reality, it’s correct to see it as a corporation or company.

Whether to call it a hunter guild or a hunter company is a subject of endless debate.

Anyway, whether it’s called a guild or company, it’s not my business, and I needed to look for a guild.

I currently need money.

I need to pay off the debts accumulated in our house and, above all, earn money for Si-eun’s college tuition.

In that situation, it would be fine to make a living by clearing single-person gates, but that’s inefficient.

In the end, single-person gates have limitations. I might be able to earn small money, but it’s hard to get big money.

So, nothing is better for earning money than “raids” that conquer large gates operated by large guilds.

I plan to join a large guild from now on and participate in raids.

When you conquer a raid once, you can get quite a lot of money.

Also, if I perform well in raids, my hunter rank will rise, and as my hunter rank rises, I can earn more money.

“Hmm. Should I contact the Witch?”

While briefly thinking about which large guild to go to, I recalled one guild.

A large guild ranked 3rd in domestic performance, guild name [Witch’s Temptation].

It’s a place where Min Seo-jin, known as the Witch, ranked 8th among S-class hunters, is the guild master, and if I can enter now, there’s no better guild for me.

“I wonder if I have her contact information?”

I started searching through the contacts on my smartphone.

In the past, when I was active as an A-class hunter, I remember receiving a guild scout offer from Min Seo-jin.

I rejected the guild back then because of Yoo Eun-ha, but I definitely kept the contact information.

“Ah, here it is.”

After searching for a while, fortunately, I found Min Seo-jin’s contact information.

And as the saying goes, “strike while the iron is hot,” I called Min Seo-jin.

Ring ring…

The dial tone went through.

And not long after, a calm woman’s voice was heard.

It was Min Seo-jin.

“Hello?”

“Ah. Hello. Is this Hunter Min Seo-jin’s mobile phone? This is Lee Si-woo.”

“Ah. Si-woo. Hello. What brings you to call suddenly?”

“Well, actually I’d like to join a hunter guild.”

“Ah… really? Then would you like to have an interview right now?”

“Yes. Should I come to the company?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“I’ll be there right away.”

After contacting Min Seo-jin, I was able to set up an interview appointment.

I took a quick shower, got dressed, and headed to Min Seo-jin’s guild.