Chapter 1

These days, the world was on the verge of its collapse.

In many parts of the world, orbital distortions occurred causing the emergence of gates connecting to other worlds from where mana flowed and contaminated the Earth’s human population.

Humans who could use mana became superhumans, and the country gave these superhumans the task; either to close the gate or to keep the peace on Earth.

Hunters.

A being that hunts monsters in this world.

“It’s funny now that I think about it.”

Jin Hee mumbled over the unreasonable self development book titled <How to Become a Hunter>

Twenty years have passed since the gates were opened when she was a child. Jin Hee, who just graduated from college, grew up in a world where the presence of gates and hunters soon became common knowledge.

Therefore, she felt no resistance or strangeness with the reality of this world. However, every time she recalls the memories of her past life, she thinks that nothing was more ridiculous than this.

She can’t believe something more miraculous has happened than magic that connects dimensions without any difficulties. If the wizards and scholars of the world she lived in in in her previous life had heard about this, they would have turned upside down with bubbles in their mouths. Just thinking of the existence of a spirit world attached to our world could already be considered a miracle, but the sudden appearance of the gates of a completely unknown world was on a different level.

Moreover, the connected world was not just one. This world was entangled with all kinds of different worlds like spirits, heavenly beings, demons, and unknown alien creatures.

Even this world had become accustomed to this situation, and it has either dug up resources beyond the gate or made an industrial revolution with the body parts and mana stones of the other world’s monsters.

The vanguards that were made of superhumans called ‘the hunters,’ and the title of Hunter soon became a promising occupation.

Humans chosen by mana. They were the most famous celebrities in the world, and they were also great men who were respected more than anyone else.

The Earth’s weapons did not work for the monsters because their mana stones were equipped with their own shield, so they could not cause serious damage to their bodies unless they were attacked with a force similar to a mana stone.

Earth’s scholars called it “Protoplasm Defense,” and Jin Hee defined it as “The Blessing of Mana.”

Monsters who are born with mana or humans who can handle mana do not die unless they are attacked by mana. In short, a large monster that can turn three or four apartments complex into a hollow field will not be hurt even if it rains grenades at them.

Mana was so absurd, that humans had no choice but to rely more on it than anything else. And they had no choice but to worship mana hunters.

In modern human warfare, the army and weapons will still exert great power, but in this world where we had to fight monsters, the Hunters were the only countermeasure.

Treatment of hunters, civilian safety, political forces, and all sorts of incidents took place when the gates opened, but now, 20 years later, it has been quite stable.

In a fast-paced country, the organization of hunters was quickly organized, and hunter companies or unions began to be formed.

The gate was threatening, but it was a groove of greedy treasures.

The amount of energy emitted from the monster’s gemstone was more efficient than any other resource, and the monster’s skin, teeth, and blood opened up a new horizon of industry. Giant wheat and new fruits made from plant seeds from other worlds have already begun commercialization.

In summary, it was a story that humanity was in danger thanks to the gates, but this was reversed with the appearance of the hunters. Science was advancing at a rapid pace, and the world economy has never been so booming.

“It’s roughly like that.”

Jin Hee closed the book. The contents of the book were all full of praises to Hunters.

The way to become a hunter was the end of the second last page, which was summarized as ‘Go to the certification point and get a hunter certification’.

If it was going to be like this, she should have read only the last page instead of reading from the beginning. Jin Hee put the book on the bookshelf with a dissatisfied expression and got up. She was now at a bookstore. The Hunter Center nearby happened to be on their lunch break so she stopped by this place to spend some time. However, in the end, Jin-hee sighed quietly, saying she wasted time reading a useless book.

She fully understood that the Hunter’s current situation and praise were everywhere in the mass media. On the other hand, she was also aware of the problems brought by the Hunter system.

The stories of having a job as a Hunter means riches and success, while those non-hunter people live feeling the difference between wealth and poverty.

Jin-Hee left the bookstore and headed to the Hunter Center. Even among the surrounding commercial buildings, the tall and colorful glass building was visible.

When she opened the door, an employee at the desk welcomed Jin-hee.

“Welcome, what brings you here?”

“I’m here for Hunter’s certification.”

The employee opened his eyes round, and then calmly guided her.

“After filling out the evaluation application form, you can head to the evaluation room on the second floor. May I see your ID, please?”

When Jin Hee handed over her driver’s license, the employee’s eyes shook again.

“Is it rare for adults to come?”

“What? Ah.. Yes. Maybe it is.” The employee replied, in confusion.

Awakening as a hunter usually occurs during puberty. At the latest, in high school. It is not known whether the awakening started due to the onset of sex hormones and secondary growth spurt, or whether there was any other reason, but very few people awakened as a hunter after adulthood.

Unless the mana sensitivity is so low that you live without knowing it all your life and only get caught by a detector.

The employee thought that Jin Hee was such a case, ‘but did not express his thoughts and sent Jin-hee upstairs.

The interior was as colorful as the exterior of the building. The steel floor, the walls visible from the outside, and the sparse flower pots are all real flowers. There was no diffuser, but the scent of flowers filling the hallway made her want to pick one.

Jin Hee stood in front of the door with the doorplate “Sensitivity Evaluation Room” in the hallway on the second floor and knocked.

“Oh, come on in.”

When she opened the door, a large auditorium welcomed her. With a vacant lot in the center, a square panel stood in the center. A thin, large blue panel lit up the surrounding area as if it were filled with water, and a man in a casual suit beckoned her.

“Hello, I’m Hunter Na Yoon-Soo, in charge of the assessment room.”

“Hello, I’m Seo Jin-Hee.”

“Yes, you’re here for Hunter’s certification?”

“Yes.”

Yoon Soo took out a pad from the desk around him. He flicked over something and continued to speak.

“Seo Jin Hee, you are 22 years old. You took the sensitivities test both times in middle school and high school. Did you feel okay back then?”

“Yes. I recently felt Mana.”

“I see..”

As it was unusual, he turned the pad over and over again, and soon, Yoon Soo scratched his head and laughed.

“Well, we’ll see if you could do it for yourself. Why don’t you come over here and stand?”

Yoon Soo led Jin Hee to the front of the panel. When she stood on the floor where a sticker was located, she suddenly noticed someone in the corner of the auditorium. A man was sitting in a chair, looking their way while eating snacks.

“.....”

Only the sound of crunching and eating snacks rang on the quiet auditorium.

“Oh, that.. Don’t worry about him, let’s proceed.”

“..Yes.”

Yoon Soo covered Jin Hee’s view with cold sweats. Jinhee nodded her head understanding it could be his boss or supervisor.

“Now, this invisible wall is going to go over Jin Hee’s body. You can raise the mana and magic in your body. Don’t be too nervous. You will repeat it five times, so be calm. It doesn’t matter how you use mana. You can use magic or strengthen your body. Instead, please make your best efforts. That way, we can maximize the sensitivity and measure it higher.”

“..What is your grade?”

“Me?” he asked, pointing at himself. “I’m Class B. Well, it’s B-class by international standards and Level 2 by Korean standards.”

Jin Hee opened her eyes wide. He was a higher grade than expected. He looked at the surprised woman and laughed.

B-levels were considered executives-level hunters in small and medium-sized enterprises, and they could, not be reached by efforts alone. He must be a decent elite because he is a young man with such a high rank.

Then, I should make it just below that level.’

Jin Hee remembered the “Bazette” in her memory. She used the mana breathing method as a knight, and slowly strengthened her body. She estimated the output while looking at the mana core located in Yoon Soo’s chest.

“Okay, let’s get started.”