As he pulled the glowing, ethereal string of his bow, Kim Min-Jun exhaled slowly. He released the arrow, and with a deafening crack that shattered the sound barrier, the projectile tore across several kilometers of airspace. It unerringly found its mark, piercing the skull of a massive Orc Vanguard just as the monster stepped out of a Red Gate that had suddenly materialized in the middle of a busy intersection.
Splash!
The Orc's head burst like a dropped watermelon, splattering dark blood across the concrete as the massive beast crumpled instantly.
"...."
The terrified civilians, who had just been frozen in absolute horror, stared in a daze. The screams of terror that were about to echo through the block instantly morphed into deafening cheers!
"AMAZING! AMAZING! THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!"
"As expected of our strongest Hunter!"
"Strongest? There are plenty of Hunters stronger than him worldwide, you know."
"Yeah, but nobody is cooler than him in all of Korea!"
"...I definitely can't deny that."
Yet, where was the man who had just saved them?
Suzuki stood calmly on the high-rise balcony of Cha Hae-In's luxury apartment, the wind rustling his hair as his massive, glowing bow dissolved back into its unassuming ring form.
"Fuh..."
Being a high-profile Hunter was exhausting sometimes, but it was undoubtedly a million times better than his previous life as a normal citizen.
No, his life had become exponentially better. Even though it was slightly annoying to be recognized everywhere he walked, the sheer freedom and wealth his S-Rank status afforded him was intoxicating.
"Did you get it?"
Cha Hae-In emerged from the kitchen, looking at his broad back as she carried a large, steaming pot of Doenjang-jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew). The rich, savory aroma of the broth instantly filled the room, making his mouth water.
"Yup. Target eliminated. The intersection is clear," Suzuki replied casually, stepping back inside.
"As expected of the number one archer in Korea~!" she teased lightly.
"Don't tease me, okay?" Min-Jun rolled his eyes playfully as he walked toward the dining table. "Do you need any help setting up?"
"I've got it. Just sit down."
"Thanks for the food, then."
"No problem." Cha Hae-In smiled softly. The cold, indifferent, almost hostile expression she usually showed the public had completely vanished, as if it had never existed in the first place.
She's changed so much, Suzuki thought.
Looking at her now, he couldn't help but sigh softly. When he first met her, she constantly wore a deep frown, hiding a profound, isolating loneliness behind her S-Rank status. Her heightened senses made the mana of other Hunters smell repulsive to her, forcing her to constantly hold her breath and keep everyone at arm's length.
But now? All of that isolation seemed to have melted away. She smiled freely, genuinely happy, and that bright expression inexplicably warmed his own heart.
I wonder when the shift happened...
Naturally, his mind drifted back to the first time she had awkwardly invited him to her place. Since that day, they had become inseparable. Whether it was raiding high-rank dungeons, attending tedious Guild meetings, or simply resting on their days off, she was always there. The downtime they spent together was clearly the highlight of her week.
However, spending so much time at her place made it increasingly difficult for him to justify going back to his own empty, albeit luxurious, apartment. For some reason, staying over constantly made him feel slightly guilty.
Why do I feel like this?
He wasn't doing anything wrong. They were consenting adults and top-tier Hunters. Yet, a nagging, unsettling feeling remained in his heart. It was incredibly difficult for him to be entirely truthful about his own desires.
Besides, was this really the time for him to be thinking about romance and domestic bliss?
The world was... to put it bluntly, on the brink of absolute disaster.
Min-Jun knew he wasn't exaggerating. Even with the Manager syncing his knowledge with his alternate selves and optimizing his growth, none of the Suzukis were truly strong enough to handle a world-ending threat yet.
In some of the other worlds, their current power levels were enough to live freely and comfortably. But in Solo Leveling? Where literal gods of destruction and massive Monarch armies were lurking in the shadows? He was still far too weak.
"What's wrong? Is the stew not good?" Cha Hae-In asked, her voice laced with sudden worry as she noticed his serious expression.
"No, it's as delicious as ever."
"Then what is it?"
"I was just wondering... do you think the Gates will ever stop appearing? Do you think we'll ever return to a normal world?"
Cha Hae-In blinked, pausing with her spoon halfway to her mouth. "Do you want things to return to normal?"
"What about you? Don't you miss your life before the Awakening?"
"I asked you first." Cha Hae-In narrowed her eyes playfully, refusing to let him dodge the question.
"I like this life much better."
Min-Jun answered without a second of hesitation.
How could he say that so confidently? Was his previous life really that bad? Was he unhappy?
Yes. Absolutely.
Before the System awakened him as a Hunter, his life had been a grinding nightmare. He had spent his days chained to a desk, frantically studying, editing videos, and desperately researching algorithmic trends just to scrape by. He had to constantly hide his bone-deep exhaustion from the world.
South Korea was practically a capitalist dystopia for someone like him, a man with no powerful family backing or financial safety net. If you had no money in this country, your life was worse than livestock. At least cattle were guaranteed food and sleep. Min-Jun, on the other hand, had to hustle twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, because the bills, rent, and taxes never stopped coming.
Korean dramas painted Seoul as a bright, romantic city where hard work and love conquered all, but the reality was utterly crushing. He had chances to make his life comfortable, but it always required sacrificing his dignity or his morals.
But now?
As an S-Rank Hunter, he had his own dedicated production team for his channels. By simply entering a single high-rank dungeon for an afternoon, he made enough money to live in absolute luxury for the rest of his life. Even if he retired tomorrow and never worked again, the Hunters Guild and the government would fiercely protect him just to keep him as a national asset.
Would he trade this life to go back to being an un-Awakened civilian?
Not a chance in hell.
Whether it was being S-Rank or his awakened class, he was deeply satisfied with everything. As an Archer, he could casually annihilate terrifying boss monsters from several kilometers away without ever getting his hands dirty or risking melee combat. He didn't have to waste time traveling or throwing himself into the meat grinder like Warriors, Tankers, or even Mages did.
Even Choi Jong-In, the S-Rank Guild Master and a supposedly 'ranged' Mage, still had to get relatively close to the frontlines, casting spells right behind the Tankers. As an Archer, Min-Jun was essentially untouchable.
"Now, what about you?" Min-Jun prompted, refusing to let her off the hook. "I answered honestly."
Cha Hae-In smiled softly, her bright eyes locking onto his. "If you had asked me a few months ago, I would have said I missed my old life. I missed having normal friends and family who didn't look at me differently."
"And now?"
"Now..." The smile deepened, turning incredibly warm. "I think I like it much better now."
"...." Suzuki.
Why does she feel that way? he wondered, a bit dense to the obvious implication.
However, before he could formulate a response, his smartphone suddenly buzzed violently on the table. The caller ID flashed urgently.
"Jin-ah?"
He picked up the call, his brow furrowing. But before he could even say hello, Sung Jin-ah's panicked, terrified voice screamed through the speaker.
"Oppa! Please... help me...!"