Chapter 1: Hunter Collaboration

Released:

The era had changed.

The act of tearing apart monsters and mercilessly eradicating supernatural criminals.

Such displays of force had once been the pride of hunters, but those days were long gone.

The new age of peace had no need for such brutality.

In a society where flaunting violence as one’s specialty only made it harder to survive, hunters had become a rare sight.

With the frequency of monster appearances dropping to the point where people joked about gates being nothing more than urban legends, the job of a hunter had drawn closer to that of a celebrity or influencer.

The reason hunters with power no longer showcased their overwhelming strength to the public was simple.

It was because they could feel the phenomenon of peace in full force.

As the appearance of the gates approached extinction, the supernatural abilities embedded in their bodies slowly faded away. Their once strong bodies returned to that of ordinary humans.

And so, the hunters willingly changed. They set aside their pride which had once soared as high as the sky.

To maintain their names and fame, they began appearing on variety shows, doing photo shoots, publishing autobiographies, and creating channels to upload videos.

It had become an age where even the famously immovable chairman of the Hunter Association pursued a side career as a trot singer.

In the midst of all this, I too found myself in the hunter job.

And I genuinely admired their actions.

There was no reason to point fingers or criticize them for being shameless.

What struck me first was how remarkable their courage was, to accept reality so quickly and boldly step into new fields.

Now, with the threat of monsters gone and supernatural abilities starting to dissipate, this was the reality we lived in.

Only those who quickly accepted the plummeting value and position of hunters could hold onto the wealth they had amassed.

The hunters who cast aside their pride and boldly ventured into new fields were simply the first to realize this truth.

But—

I Lee Rohan was someone who, despite sensing the future, did not reach out to grasp the rapidly changing currents.

I was one of the hunters who continued to contribute to maintaining public order, just as always.

Ding!

“Hmm?”

As if urging me to throw myself into the swirling chaos of the world, a message arrived while I was sitting at my computer after work.

[Hello, Hunter Lee Rohan. This is Solomon, Director of Sunday Games.]

A familiar company name and a familiar nickname.

I jumped up from my chair and grabbed my smartphone.

Sunday Games!?

A company known to anyone who had dabbled in subculture games.

The company responsible for my free time while simultaneously emptying my wallet completely.

I rubbed my eyes at the unexpected message from that company and checked the official account badge over and over again.

[Every time you mention our games, Hunter Lee Rohan, all of us at Sunday Games pay close attention. The informative posts you’ve shared on our official site have impressed even me…]

I rolled my eyes as I read the lengthy message carefully, word by word.

[To briefly explain Project ‘Salvation’ which we at Sunday Games wish to accomplish with you…]

I realized this was real. At the same time, I let out a small incredulous laugh.

A mix of emotions I couldn’t easily express swirled inside me, leaving me both excited and a little heated.

“Wait, is this…?”

Like any Korean, I instinctively muttered “Wait” first, then tried to process the unbelievable information again.

In short, it all started when I posted on SNS about how much I enjoyed Abyss City by Sunday Games.

They had come to me with a sweet proposal. They wanted to create a new character modeled after me.

Me? As a game character?

Considering how experienced this company was, they had to know that collaborating with a real-life person for a gacha game was a risky move.

Surely, they were aware of that.

And yet, why? Why me? Wouldn’t it make more sense to call an idol instead?

Not to mention, there are so many hunters out there with good-looking faces, so why pick me?

Countless guesses and assumptions bubbled up like foam in my mind.

Who was the lunatic who made this crazy decision to model a game character after an unknown male hunter like me?

Besides, wasn’t this a game with more male players than female? I could already picture gamers yelling, “Who the hell is this guy? Another male character pickup?” and hurling complaints left and right.

But still!

Yes, even so!

What gamer in their right mind could refuse a proposal to become a character in a game they loved?

No matter what their real intentions were, it was a tempting offer. Enough to make me want to dive in headfirst.

“Mhm!”

I immediately sent a reply saying I was looking forward to working with them.

And so, some time had passed since I began working together with the game company.

Until today, I had obediently followed everything the game company staff asked of me.

Last week, I spent the entire day repeatedly swinging a sword while wearing a strange outfit.

Today, they said it was an interview shoot for a making-of-film and an official broadcast.

I really made it this far.

I moistened my dry throat which was parched with nervousness with a sip of coffee.

As I sat there fiddling with my smartphone and biting down on the straw, a voice called out to me.

“Hunter-nim! We’re ready for the shoot!”

“Oh, I’m coming!”

I squeezed through the cameras and sat in the empty chair prepared for me.

Next to me sat the female host I had only ever seen on Sunday Games’ official broadcasts, and my heart fluttered with a fan’s excitement.

“It’s not a big, formal interview or anything, so just think of it as casual chit-chat and answer comfortably.”

“Understood. I’ll do my best.”

For someone who never missed an update broadcast, the current situation felt nothing short of surreal.

Even more so than when I faced off against a major celebrity.

The host straightened her back, flipped through her cue cards with a sharp flick, and cleared her throat.

After catching a signal from the camera crew, she whispered softly to me that they were about to begin, then turned to the camera with a bright smile and a cheerful voice.

“With tension in Academy City reaching its peak, many students are eagerly anticipating the next chapter of the story! What new winds and conflicts will blow through Academy City…”

Her loud voice filled with excitement and anticipation continued to resonate.

The host read the script flawlessly without a single mistake.

Meanwhile, I sat next to her, absentmindedly nodding and awkwardly fiddling with the microphone.

“First, I should introduce our special guest sitting beside me! Though I’m sure some of you have already noticed…”

After finishing over a minute of chatter, including my introduction, the host turned her gaze toward me. She was clearly signaling that she was about to ask a question.

“I have a personal question for Hunter Lee Rohan! There’s a rumor that a hunter’s dynamic vision allows them to parry any boss attack without fail. Is that true?”

“In that regard, it’s true that hunters definitely have an advantage. When I actually play the game, I tend to turn off all the assistance settings.”

“Wow! Then you must have cleared all the combat achievements, right?”

“Not exactly. I only play characters I’m particularly attached to, so there are quite a few empty spots in my progress.”

After exchanging a few words back and forth, my nerves began to ease little by little.

It felt like it was thanks to the host’s thoughtful and gentle demeanor.

After sharing this and that in casual conversation, the host flipped to the next cue card, and a new question came my way.

“What do you think is Abyss City’s unique charm, Hunter-nim?”

I had received the script the day before and already prepared an answer to this question.

Thanks to that, the words flowed effortlessly from my mouth.

“I started working as a hunter fairly early, so I wasn’t able to properly attend school. It would be a lie to say I don’t have any fantasies about my school days. For me, the biggest charm of Abyss City is that it satisfies that longing.”

“Ah! Abyss City doesn’t only focus on action but also pays careful attention to the coziness of daily life!”

It was an aspect that often divided opinions among gamers.

I preferred the everyday parts, like part-time jobs, over combat.

“Yes, I often think, ‘If there were a school just for hunters, wouldn’t it look like this?’ Plus, since I love open-world games, just exploring the map is fun for me.”

“Then…!”

What followed was a lighthearted Q&A session that made me wonder if any of it could even be used in the final video.

The host quickly exchanged glances with the camera and, contrary to my concerns, gave me a satisfied expression while signaling that it was the final segment.

“The pickup event for ‘Rohan’ modeled after Hunter Lee Rohan, will run from June 2nd for one month! Also, new storylines and various quests will be updated, so please look forward to it!”

“Thank you very much!”

We wrapped up by standing together, exchanging bows, and clapping.

When I saw the cameras all tilt toward the ceiling, I exchanged a final greeting with the host.

“Hunter Lee Rohan, you worked hard today!”

“You worked hard as well.”

“You’re definitely going to roll for your character, right?”

“I’ll unlock everything, no matter what the performance is. I think the money I earned today will quickly return to the game.”

She burst into laughter, saying she would have done the same.

After a short conversation, we made a promise, or something like it, to see each other again next time.

I moved to retrieve my bag, which I had tossed into a corner earlier.

Next up is the voice recording.

I wondered what skills and stories my character would have.

When I thought about the time and the conversations from a moment ago, reality hit me once again.

The fact that I would be released as a character in my favorite game.

Honestly, I didn’t even want to take their money. If anything, I was in the position of wanting to pay them.

What kind of luck is this all of a sudden?

It was certain now that my legendary highlight reel would be played at my funeral someday.

When I get home, I’ll gather all the growth materials first.

Lost in happy thoughts, I grabbed the bag lying on the floor and straightened my back.

Just then, a female staff member with a company badge around her neck approached me. Her eyes were sparkling brightly as she spoke.

“Hunter-nim! Hunter-nim!”

“Yes?”

“Before you leave, could you accept this first?”

“What is this?”

What she handed me was a clean, unmarked box.

It was about the same size as the box I had received when I bought a smartphone.

“The CEO really wanted to give this to you as a gift. He’s a huge fan of yours.”

I couldn’t believe my ears.

I blinked in confusion and asked again.

“The CEO of Sunday Games…?”

“Yes! He really wanted to come today no matter what, but he was too busy, so he asked me to deliver this instead. He was so disappointed he couldn’t meet you!”

Was this some kind of lip service?

I found it hard to react easily.

Isn’t the CEO Japanese?

While I stood there frozen with a face that clearly said I didn’t understand what was going on…

She continued with a light tone as if something had just come to mind.

“I don’t know the details either, but the CEO said he was once saved while being chased by a monster. Where was it again? I think it was some department store in Apgujeong?”

“!”

At that moment, it felt like the fog clouding my mind suddenly lifted.

I was pulled into a memory of the past.

Apgujeong.

That time when a huge gate opened there and hell itself descended.

I had been dispatched to evacuate and rescue civilians.

I clearly remembered cutting down waves of lesser monsters as I charged into the department store.

So that’s why he gave me this job…?

Sometimes things like this happened.

Moments when I had run around so frantically that I couldn’t even recall the faces of the people I saved. But, for someone else, that chaos had been their only lifeline, their salvation.

I had received thank-you letters before from people who called me their savior, but this was the first time I had ever received such a grand gift.

“Phew.”

I let out a long breath as a sense of understanding and relief settled over me.

I looked at her and asked.

“May I open it?”

“Of course.”

Click! When I opened the box, a rectangular card greeted me.

It was a design instantly recognizable to anyone who played Abyss City.

I couldn’t stop the corners of my mouth from curling up.

Is this a photo of me? I look so young.

But it wasn’t a photo; seeing the name confirmed it.

It was a student ID card from Academy City featuring Rohan, the character modeled after me.

It was the best gift I could have asked for.

I definitely needed to express my gratitude again.

That thought lingered as I lifted my gaze from the student ID card.

“……?”

The woman who had been holding her ID badge just moments ago was no longer there.

In fact, I wasn’t even at the studio anymore.

“Huh?”

A new world unfolded before my eyes.

One response to “Chapter 1: Hunter Collaboration”

  1. LKADity Avatar
    LKADity

    thats quite unique setup for transmigration
    Interesting

    thanks for the translation!

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