By the time Tae-woo stepped back into the real world, the sun had long set, and the steady glow of streetlights illuminated the streets. The cool night air greeted him as he took a moment to reorient himself, stretching his limbs after spending what felt like hours battling inside the Abyss.
As soon as he reached into his pocket, his phone vibrated. He pulled it out and frowned at the screen as there were several missed call notifications from his younger sister, Ha-rin.
Great.
When he returned the call, she picked up immediately.
"Where have you been, Oppa?!" Ha-rin's exasperated voice rang in his ears. "I was so worried about you!"
Tae-woo sighed. "Sorry, sorry. I was just… uh, hanging out with friends."
There was a beat of silence.
"Really? Hanging out with friends in a place where I couldn't even call you?"
"Uh…" Tae-woo scratched the back of his head, struggling to devise a believable excuse.
Ha-rin sighed heavily on the other end. "Look, as long as you're not doing something dangerous, you're good to go. But remember, you're still under probation after that Abyssal Corruption incident. You can't go into the dungeons for at least a week, and I don't think the Hunter Association will let it slide if you're doing something funny."
Tae-woo felt a twinge of guilt. It wasn't like he could explain where he had been to her. No one would believe him if he told them he had just been fighting a werewolf martial artist inside the Abyss.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. I'll pick up your calls next time, okay? I promise."
"You better."
There was a slight pause before Ha-rin continued, her voice softer.
"By the way… I have already made some food for you. Just reheat it when you get home."
Tae-woo blinked, feeling a slight smile tug at his lips.
"Food, huh?" He glanced at his phone, which, miraculously, was still intact despite the absolute beating he had taken from Lycaon earlier. The thought of eating something normal after stuffing himself with raw dungeon meat was actually kind of appealing. "Got it. Thanks, Ha-rin."
"Don't skip meals," she reminded him, and the call ended.
Shoving his phone back into his pocket, Tae-woo exhaled.
"Man… she's been clingy ever since the Abyssal Gate incident," Tae-woo wondered aloud.
It wasn't surprising for Tae-woo, though. He had almost died, after all.
Shaking off the thoughts, he turned his attention back to the road. His apartment wasn't too far, and he could get there faster if he took his usual shortcut through the back alley.
He turned into the alleyway without a second thought, strolling.
And that was when he saw it.
A man. A woman. A struggle.
Tae-woo's steps halted immediately.
The woman was thrashing, desperately trying to break free, but the larger, more muscular man had his arm wrapped tightly around her, pinning her against him. His other hand was clamped over her mouth, muffling her cries, reducing them to nothing more than weak, panicked noises.
She was fighting, but it was clear she was at a disadvantage.
And then he saw the man's other hand moving.
Grabbing. Touching. Groping.
His fingers trailed over the curve of her thigh, then moved higher, roaming freely as she squirmed in disgust, her muffled screams becoming more frantic.
Tae-woo didn't even think twice as he moved.
With a single use of Dash, he closed the distance instantly, barely making a sound as he positioned himself behind the man. The bastard was too busy whispering in the woman's ear, his grip too tight to even notice what was coming.
And then…
BAM.
A single blow to the back of the head, and the man collapsed like a sack of bricks.
The woman fell too, her balance thrown off as she tumbled forward, but Tae-woo acted quickly, catching her just before she could hit the pavement.
She was shaking, her breaths coming in short, uneven gasps. The terror in her wide, dazed eyes was still fresh like she hadn't yet processed what had happened.
Tae-woo offered her a small, reassuring smile.
"Are you alright?"
She stared at him.
Then, her eyes rolled back, and her body went limp.
"Whoa, missy!" Tae-woo instinctively tightened his hold, keeping her from collapsing entirely.
He stared at the now-unconscious woman in his arms, then at the knocked-out bastard still lying face-down on the pavement.
His eye twitched.
"Now what?" he muttered, scratching his head.
----------------------------------------
Joo-hyun groaned as she slowly regained consciousness, her body feeling sluggish as her senses gradually came back to her. Her eyelids felt heavy, her mind hazy, like she had just woken up from an unpleasant dream.
A dream…
No, it wasn't a dream.
Flashes of what had happened flickered through her head like broken fragments of a movie reel. She remembered struggling, her arms pinned in an iron grip, her muffled cries swallowed by the darkened alley. She remembered the disgusting breath of the man against her ear, his unwanted touch making her skin crawl.
And then, a presence.
A voice.
A smile.
Joo-hyun exhaled sharply, the memories snapping together all at once. Her eyes snapped open.
She wasn't in the alley anymore.
She wasn't even on the ground.
Blinking, she pushed herself up with effort, realizing that she had been lying on a bench, her head resting against a bundled-up jacket, which wasn't hers, judging by its size.
"Eh?"
She sat up fully, taking in her surroundings. The cool night air brushed against her skin, the nearby streetlights casting a soft glow over the empty sidewalk.
And then she saw him.
Jin Tae-woo.
"Ah, you're awake now."
Tae-woo smiled, his tone casual, as if they had just bumped into each other by coincidence.
Joo-hyun froze.
A sudden heat crept up her neck, spreading to her cheeks, her heartbeat quickening for unknown reasons.
What the hell was wrong with her?
She immediately leaned back against the bench, trying to steady herself and avoid doing anything stupid like passing out again.
And then she noticed something else.
Tae-woo was sitting on someone.
Joo-hyun's eyes narrowed.
The man beneath him was her stalker, the very one who had grabbed her, who had held her down, who had robbed her of control in that dark alley.
Only now, he was the one restrained.
His arms were bound tightly with what looked like his jacket, judging by the aggressive knotwork. It didn't look like he was getting out of it anytime soon.
Also, his socks had been stuffed into his mouth, serving as a makeshift gag to keep him from spewing nonsense.
Joo-hyun blinked.
Then she slowly turned her gaze to Tae-woo.
"I'm pretty good at tying people up," Tae-woo said matter-of-factly as if this was some typical and completely expected situation. "As for the socks, well… I got nothing else to use to stuff his mouth."
Then, without hesitation, he smacked the man right on the back of the head.
Joo-hyun almost flinched at the sound.
"He's a Hunter too, by the way," Tae-woo continued casually. "If I had to guess, probably around D-Rank? Maybe he has something that lets him boost his strength."
That would explain a lot.
Joo-hyun gritted her teeth, feeling a fresh wave of irritation.
Under normal circumstances, she could have thrown this guy off easily and sent him flying across the street without breaking a sweat. She was an A-Rank Hunter, damn it. He shouldn't have stood a chance.
But he had.
And now she realized why.
The bastard had been planning this. He must have been stalking her for weeks, studying her patterns and her weaknesses, waiting for a moment of vulnerability.
And once he found it, he had made his move.
She had let her guard down.
Joo-hyun rubbed her face with both hands, feeling the creeping frustration settle deep in her gut.
This was humiliating.
Hye-rin was going to kill her.
Her Guildmaster always emphasized the importance of awareness, never letting her guard slip, and being prepared for anything.
And yet, here she was.
Caught off-guard.
Overpowered.
Rescued.
By Jin Tae-woo.
Joo-hyun clenched her fists.
"Actually, I was thinking of taking this guy to the police," Tae-woo said, nudging the tied-up stalker with zero sympathy. "But since you were still unconscious, I figured I'd wait for you to wake up."
And then, for good measure, he smacked the guy again.
Joo-hyun fidgeted.
This was… complicated.
Tae-woo, the very man she and the other members of LUNARIS had been tasked with seducing, had just saved her.
She wasn't sure how to proceed from here.
Meanwhile, Tae-woo looked at Joo-hyun, his eyes briefly scanning her face. She was undeniably beautiful, but his expression showed no hint of recognition. If he knew who she was, he certainly wasn't showing it.
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"By the way, my name's Jin Tae-woo. I'm a Hunter," he introduced himself, his tone casual as he scratched the back of his head. His gaze drifted briefly to the bench where she had been lying a moment ago before he gestured toward the bundled-up jacket beneath her. "Sorry that I didn't have anything better for a pillow, so I just used my jacket."
Joo-hyun glanced at the makeshift pillow, realizing belatedly that it must have been what had kept her comfortable while she was unconscious. Somehow, the thought sent a strange warmth through her chest.
"I-it's fine," she stammered and immediately regretted it.
She mentally cursed herself. What was wrong with her?! She was Selene, damn it! The confident, charismatic leader of LUNARIS! Not some flustered, shy little girl tripping over her own words!
Quickly regaining her composure, she cleared her throat and straightened her posture. "So, um… Tae-woo-ssi, thank you for saving me. I'm indebted to you."
Tae-woo let out a small, awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his head. "Haha, it's fine. Don't worry about it." Then, as if the situation wasn't already strange enough, he effortlessly hoisted the unconscious stalker onto his shoulder like a sack of rice, quickly adjusting the weight. "Well, gotta drag this creep to the police station now. Maybe you should come too…" He suddenly paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "Wait. What's your name?"
Joo-hyun's breath hitched.
He didn't know who she was.
Of course, he didn't.
Most people only knew Joo-hyun by her stage name, not her real name.
Still, the realization sent a strange twist through her stomach.
"I-it's… Joo-hyun. My name is Kang Joo-hyun," she introduced herself, hating how hesitant she sounded.
Tae-woo gave a slight nod. "Alright, come on then," he said as if her name wasn't ringing any bells for him. He adjusted his grip on the stalker slung over his shoulder, then started walking.
But after a few steps, he paused.
"Huh," he muttered, almost to himself. "I think I've heard that name before."
Joo-hyun felt her heart skip.
She braced herself, expecting him to put two and two together finally.
But then, after a brief moment of thought, he just shrugged. "Eh, probably nothing. Let's go."
Joo-hyun blinked.
He really didn't recognize her.
She wasn't sure if she should feel relieved or offended.
"R-right," she muttered, quickly falling into step behind him as they made their way toward the police station.
Her mind, however, was still stuck on the fact that the man who had just saved her had no idea that she was Selene of LUNARIS.
----------------------------------------
It turned out that the stalker was indeed a D-Rank Hunter, though his abilities explained how he could detect and restrain Joo-hyun despite their massive gap in rank. His primary skill allowed him to command insects, which he had likely used to spy on her for some time. That also explained how he had detected her despite her Invisibility, as he must have had insect scouts tracking her movements, sensing even the slight shifts in air or body heat.
But that wasn't all.
The real reason he had managed to overpower her, even for a short time physically, was because of his second ability, one that allowed him to adopt the characteristics of insects for brief periods temporarily. He used an ant's proportionate strength, drastically increasing his grip and physical power. However, such a skill required absolute focus, meaning that the moment Tae-woo had knocked him out, he was unable to activate it again, leaving him utterly helpless under the makeshift restraints.
Once their statements were taken, the police assured them the stalker would be dealt with accordingly, and Joo-hyun was cleared to go home.
But before she could leave, Tae-woo had turned to her with a casual, almost offhand remark.
"I'll walk you to your home."
Joo-hyun froze, not expecting the offer.
For a moment, she wanted to refuse. She was an A-Rank Hunter, not some defenseless girl who needed an escort. And yet… after what had happened tonight, she could not decline.
So now, here they were.
As they sat outside the police station, Tae-woo casually handed her a cup of hot coffee, which he had gotten from a nearby vending machine.
"Here you go," he said. "Careful, it's still hot."
Joo-hyun hesitated before carefully accepting the cup.
"T-thank you," she mumbled, feeling strangely self-conscious as she took a careful sip. She couldn't even bring herself to look directly at Tae-woo.
Before tonight, she had thought of him as just another guy with average looks and an unremarkable presence. Nothing about him had especially stood out to her.
But now?
Now, she was hyper-aware of him. His presence, his voice, how he had effortlessly handled her stalker and made her feel safe in a way she hadn't realized she needed.
It was annoying how her heart skipped a beat whenever she thought about it.
"Please be more careful whenever you're out at night," Tae-woo spoke, his tone light but firm as he sipped his coffee. "Stick to crowded places and avoid isolated areas like back alleys."
Joo-hyun nodded timidly, still sipping her coffee.
"Then again, I should listen to my own advice too," Tae-woo muttered with a slight chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, I also took the back alley to take a shortcut home. Guess I'm not setting a great example, huh?"
Joo-hyun glanced at him from the corner of her eye, watching as he grinned slightly to himself.
He looked like an easygoing person.
At the same time, there was something gentle about him, something that made it feel natural to talk to him. Even now, despite everything that had happened, he wasn't making things awkward or uncomfortable for Joo-hyun. He wasn't pressuring her into talking about what had happened, nor was he treating her like a fragile victim.
She found herself appreciating that.
As she glanced at him, she noticed his jacket. The fabric looked worn, particularly around the shoulders and arms. Some parts seemed slightly torn as if it had been through rough use.
Had he worn this in a dungeon before?
"Joo-hyun-ssi," Tae-woo spoke again, pulling her from her thoughts. "Are you ready to head home now? Like I said before, I'll walk you there."
Joo-hyun blinked, realizing that she had finished her coffee without even noticing.
Swallowing her hesitation, she gave a slight nod before standing up from the bench.
Tae-woo stepped beside her and began their quiet walk through the city.
Joo-hyun tried not to make a big deal from it, but she couldn't help but feel hyper-aware of his presence next to her. The occasional glance and the sound of his footsteps matching hers made her feel more flustered than she had expected.
She had faced monsters in dungeons, performed in front of thousands of screaming fans, dealt with high-profile sponsors and media pressure, yet…
For some reason, she felt more nervous now than ever.
Thankfully, Tae-woo didn't seem to notice. He wasn't saying much, respecting her silence as they walked, and for that, she was grateful.
Eventually, they arrived at her apartment complex, a grand luxury building that stood out even in the wealthy districts of the city.
Joo-hyun turned to face him, suddenly feeling uncertain about what to say.
"So, um… I guess that's it," Joo-hyun said, her voice awkwardly soft. She fidgeted slightly, holding her hands together as she looked up at Tae-woo. "Again, t-thank you for helping me out, Tae-woo-ssi. I…"
She wanted to ask for his number.
The words were right there, on the tip of her tongue.
But for some stupid reason, she couldn't bring herself to say them.
Her throat felt tight, and she hated it.
Tae-woo, of course, was blissfully unaware of her inner turmoil.
He just smiled, giving her a casual nod. "Again, don't mention it. I'm glad to help," he said. "Have a good night, Joo-hyun-ssi."
And with that, he turned and walked away.
Joo-hyun stood there, watching him leave, feeling a strange mix of relief and frustration at herself.
Finally, she took a small breath and headed inside, taking the elevator to her apartment.
The moment she stepped inside, she kicked off her shoes, tossed her jacket aside, and collapsed onto her fluffy bed, burying her face into her pillow.
She just lay there for a moment, staring up at the ceiling.
And then…
"Waaaaah! W-what the hell was I doing?!"
She rolled around in frustration, wrapping herself in her thick blanket like a burrito, her entire body burning from embarrassment.
She hated how awkward she had been.
She was Selene, damn it! The leader of LUNARIS! She was supposed to be calm, confident, and sexy! Not some flustered mess who couldn't even ask for a guy's number!
Why did she suddenly turn into this?!
"Jin Tae-woo…" she mumbled under the blanket, her voice muffled as she curled up even tighter.
Even as sleep eventually claimed her, she couldn't get her mind off the man who had saved her.
----------------------------------------
[You know she is an A-Rank Hunter, do you not?]
Tae-woo listened to Alice's voice, which only he could hear, as he returned to his apartment. It was still strange, having a disembodied voice constantly speaking to him, but he had gotten used to it faster than expected.
Apparently, the ability he had inherited from Lycaon, Beast King, not only enhanced his senses but also granted him an instinctual awareness of the strength of other Hunters. Thanks to it, he could sense that Joo-hyun was a Hunter. And not just any Hunter, but an A-Rank one, too.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Of course. What of it?" he responded casually. To onlookers, it might have looked like he was talking to himself, but thankfully, the few people passing by paid him no mind.
[That man's ability would have worn off eventually. She could have escaped and fought back without your intervention.]
Tae-woo clicked his tongue, shaking his head.
"That's not the point," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Even if I knew that, I still saw a man trying to molest a woman. There was no way I could stand by and do nothing."
The thought of what might have happened if he hadn't stepped in made his blood boil. He didn't know the man's motivations, nor did he care to. Whether the stalker had some twisted obsession or simply saw women as easy prey, it didn't matter.
To Tae-woo, there was nothing worse than someone who used their Hunter abilities to abuse others.
"Even if she's strong, she was caught off-guard," Tae-woo muttered. "And even if she could've handled it, she shouldn't have had to."
[I see. So, there are other factors involved.]
Alice's voice had an inquisitive tone, different from before. It made Tae-woo pause for a moment.
Before, Alice had sounded mostly neutral, almost robotic. But now… she was changing.
It was subtle, but there was more personality in her voice than when they first started talking.
Tae-woo had only known Alice for less than a day but was already adapting, responding more like a person rather than an emotionless guide.
There were still too many questions surrounding Alice.
What was she, really? What connection did she have to the man who had given him his blood in the Abyss?
For now, though, he let those thoughts go. He had more pressing concerns. He was looking forward to eating regular food after eating some raw meat.
By the time he reached his apartment, when Tae-woo opened the door, he was met with a very familiar sight.
His little sister stood in the entryway, arms crossed, eyes narrowed in irritation.
"You're late!" Ha-rin scolded, tapping her foot against the floor with the precision of someone who had been practicing the art of sibling disapproval for years.
Tae-woo winced slightly. He had been expecting this, but still, her intensity never failed to put him on edge.
"Sorry, sorry. Something came up," Tae-woo said, raising his hands in mock surrender.
Instead of demanding an explanation, Ha-rin tilted her head and squinted as if trying to determine whether or not she should keep interrogating him.
A tense silence stretched between them.
Then, with the swiftness of a seasoned older brother, Tae-woo reached out and ruffled her hair, a move so precisely calculated that it immediately derailed any lingering irritation on her part.
"Yah! Stop that!" Ha-rin batted his hand away, puffing up in indignation, but the damage had already been done.
Tae-woo chuckled, stepping past her before she could retaliate. There was no greater weapon against a fuming little sister than a well-timed head pat.
Ha-rin huffed, arms still crossed, but her stance softened slightly. "Just get inside already. I'll reheat your food."
"Thanks, Ha-rin," Tae-woo said, kicking off his shoes and making a beeline for his room.
He needed a shower. And, more importantly, actual food.
After spending so long in the Abyss, surviving off raw, borderline inedible monster flesh, the mere thought of a warm, home-cooked meal made his stomach twist in anticipation.
No more chewing through sinewy goblin meat or gagging on acidic, rubbery gecko flesh.
Tonight, he would feast on real food.
But as he started getting ready to shower, Tae-woo's eyes landed on something on his wall.
A poster.
More specifically, his limited-edition poster of Selene from LUNARIS, clad in a bikini, posing on a sunny beach.
He stopped, a towel draped over his shoulder, gaze lingering on the image.
Usually, he would glance at it briefly, maybe nod in appreciation before moving on. The poster was a collector's item, a rare piece of Hunter Idol merchandise, and one of his few indulgences.
But something about it felt different this time.
Tae-woo's brows furrowed slightly as he stared at Selene's face.
It looked... familiar.
His mind drifted back to earlier that night, of the woman he had saved from the molester. The way she had looked at him, her silver hair, her features, the way she had stammered through her words.
A realization settled in as he noted the similarities between that woman and Selene in the poster.
He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Did I just meet Selene in the flesh?"
----------------------------------------
Since its inception, Scarlet Moon Guild has become a center of research and learning, dedicated to uncovering the secrets behind the dungeon portals and the Abyss.
Unlike other guilds, which focused primarily on dungeon raids and power accumulation, Scarlet Moon prided itself on its academic approach, its members consisting not only of scholarly Hunters but also non-Hunter researchers and scientists. Their mission was simple: discovering the truth behind the portals that led to the monster-infested dungeons and, ultimately, to the Abyss itself.
Despite the dark reputation of its Guildmaster, Hwang Kyung-tae, a Necromancer capable of using the dead as his minions, Scarlet Moon was widely regarded as a bastion of knowledge in Korea. Before his Awakening, Kyung-tae had been a medical doctor and a surgeon, a background that shaped the guild's meticulous and scientific approach. Under his leadership, Scarlet Moon had pioneered research into Abyssal Corruption, collaborating with foreign Hunter organizations to publish journals and academic papers detailing its devastating effects on Hunters.
Whenever an Abyssal Corruption incident occurred, it was standard procedure for Scarlet Moon Guild to step in. Whether alive or dead, Hunters who succumbed to the corruption were taken to their research facilities for further study. Their efforts uncovered much of the information about the corruption's symptoms, progression, and physiological effects.
And so, it only made sense that Kong Jae-sik, the C-Rank Hunter who had succumbed to Abyssal Corruption during the recent D-Rank dungeon raid, was brought to their facility. After massacring five of his teammates, he was ultimately put down by the remaining survivors. His mangled corpse had since been retrieved and transported for examination.
----------------------------------------
Inside the sterile, brightly lit autopsy lab, the scent of disinfectant and decay mingled in the air.
A green-haired researcher, her lab coat pristine despite the grim nature of her work, stood beside a metal examination table, flipping through a report as Hwang Kyung-tae himself studied the corpse before them.
The body, though decomposing, still bore the grotesque mutations that had accompanied Jae-sik's corruption. New, unnatural appendages jutted out at odd angles while his purple-hued skin had begun to wither and decay, revealing the twisted physiology that had emerged before his death. Half of his face was missing, his torso split open, exposing the mangled remains of his internal organs.
Yet neither Kyung-tae nor the researcher showed any signs of discomfort. This was just another subject for them to analyze.
The researcher read aloud from the autopsy report.
"Subject is twenty-seven years old and male. Unlike most recorded cases, his corruption resulted in extensive physiological changes, which included new, non-human organs and appendages. Given the extent of these mutations, even if he had survived the initial transformation, he would not have lived long, as his body would have eventually failed due to the instability of these new biological structures."
Kyung-tae, donned in sterile gloves, carefully prodded and manipulated the corpse, his sharp gaze scanning every detail.
"I see…" he murmured. He traced a gloved finger along the tattered remains of Jae-sik's flesh, pausing at the most severe wounds. "What was the official cause of death?"
The researcher adjusted her glasses before flipping to the next page of her report.
"Severe internal trauma and multiple grievous wounds, along with what appears to be a sudden cardiac arrest. The injuries suggest that Kong Jae-sik's death was the result of combined efforts from the surviving Hunters."
Kyung-tae hummed in thought, his attention fixated on the missing sections of the body. He leaned in slightly, his expression unreadable.
"These wounds…" His voice trailed off as he examined the mangled torso and the exposed musculature. "They don't appear to have been inflicted by conventional weapons."
He moved to the cadaver's face, or what was left of it.
"This wasn't done with a sword," he observed. "The edges of the wounds are too rough, too uneven… as if he was torn apart rather than cut." He straightened up and turned toward the researcher. "Almost like an animal attack."
The green-haired researcher blinked before glancing back down at her notes.
"Shall I cross-check the weapon types used by the survivors?" she asked.
Kyung-tae tilted his head slightly, then nodded.
"Speaking of which," he said, folding his arms. "Who were the survivors again?"
The researcher flipped through the files before reading out the names.
"Go Min-kyung, Choi Ji-hoon, Yoo Sena… and Jin Tae-woo."
There was a flicker of recognition in Kyung-tae's eyes.
Jin Tae-woo was the name he was familiar with. After all, this was the man who had survived the Abyssal Gate incident and the subject of an intense discussion between the guildmasters of the Six Great Guilds.
Kyung-tae's lips curled slightly as he stroked his chin, his interest piqued.
"Interesting…" he mused, his voice almost amused.
He glanced back at Jae-sik's corpse, then at the missing flesh, the crude, vicious injuries that were clearly different from the others.
"Very interesting indeed."