Chapter 18
Without warning.
Every communication channel of the Awakened Management Bureau posted an announcement.
Official website.
[Hikki Is a Hunter of the Republic of Korea.]
(A hype-inducing image depicted as a black silhouette.)
Hikki-nim, the pride of Korea, completed Awakened registration today.
The Awakened Management Bureau will support Hikki-nim's safe climb.
Outstagram.
(A short-form video featuring Bureau employees)
“It's done! You're registered!”
Even a junior moderator on the Domestic Hunter Gallery got in on it.
[Did Hikki's Awakened registration drop?]
(A screenshot of the newly updated Awakened list)
It's up, that's why I posted itㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Posts overflowing with excitement and anticipation.
Naturally, the reaction was explosive.
└Hikki. Hunter-nim. has. finally. returned to. the embrace. of their. motherland. I knew it (♡899)
└Wait, is this for real? (♡22)
└The haters are gonna claim this photo is photoshopped (♡1324)
└Hikki-yahoo! Hikki-yahoo! Hikki-yahoo! Hikki-yahoo! (♡1257)
└If there are 6 billion Hikki fans in the world ─(♡1351)
Of course, there were also people who refused to believe the Bureau's announcement.
Some called it a fake announcement meant to get them out of a crisis.
Others claimed Hikki didn't even exist.
Despite having no evidence, those claims still found some support.
After all, there wasn't a single photo or video showing what Hikki actually looked like.
The online trench warfare went on for about an hour.
Then the atmosphere of doubt and uncertainty flipped.
The climbing video was released.
[This much mana on Floor 10?! Hikki-nim mixes Meteor with Blizzard]
The video was posted on the Awakened Management Bureau's official WTube channel.
A certain logo was stamped in the video's description.
It was a mark indicating that the footage came from an Awakened's body cam.
Proof that it hadn't been edited in any way.
The video quickly racked up millions of views.
“What is this?”
Fire Sword had briefly played the video in his private training room.
“WHAT THE…!”
Even New Captain, the world's No. 2.
“……?!”
Even ABC, who'd been getting ready for bed with a glass of wine.
Couldn't help being surprised.
A display of firepower that was hard to believe came from a mere Floor 10 clear.
‘Could this be a high-floor magic Awakened's one-sided slaughter show?’
They wondered if that might be the case.
But that suspicion soon faded.
No matter how hard they racked their memories, no Hunter came to mind who matched the footage.
└A magic Awakened? A magic Awakened is Global No. 1?
└I don't know much about this, but are magic Awakened usually like that?
└└I'm a working magic Hunter. I'm currently trying to break through Floor 30. I tried again today, but failed in the end. It hurts to think my growth has plateaued. Anyway, to get straight to the point─
└└No, they aren't, damn it. If we could do stuff like that, would mages be treated like this?
└The bar for being called a mage has gotten insanely high;;;
└Wait, mathematically speaking, how can someone who's only climbed to Floor 9 use three kinds of magic? Is this a bug?
└They said 'no-incantation'—what's that? Is that a skill, too?
The comment section was just as shocked.
The sheer destructive power left no room for criticism.
An overwhelming performance.
Even those who'd been scrutinizing the footage for something to criticize.
Had no choice but to accept that this person was Hikki.
After a few hours—hours filled with dopamine—
People's thoughts naturally turned to the same question.
└So who is Hikki?
There were too few clues to make any deductions.
The staff that briefly appeared in the video.
The voice heard at the beginning and end.
That was all they had to go on.
└That sounds like a little kid's voice. Is it just a young-sounding voice?
└But the way they talk is kind of a letdown.
└Wait, what the hell, so Hikki wasn't some jacked-up, testosterone-fueled gym bro?
└Bro is a little girl (View original)
└Koreans naturally look young. You have to assume they're ten years younger than they seem (View original)
└└Where'd this idiot pick that up? Acting like he knows shitㅋㅋㅋ
└└No, Hikki really is damn youngㅋㅋ
Maybe Hikki was a young girl.
Maybe Hikki was an adult woman with a young voice and way of speaking.
All anyone could do was speculate.
“Judging from Hikki's voice in the released video, they sound like a young student. Is that correct?”
“Please understand that we cannot disclose Hunter Hikki's personal information.”
It was frustrating when even the Director wouldn't give a clear answer.
The same had happened at the earlier briefing.
The Director was the only person who'd met Hikki in person.
How they were communicating remained undisclosed.
Questions about things like Hell difficulty had been brushed off with the claim that they required further study.
Just about everything had been kept under wraps.
Of course, that was partly because the Director had promised to keep the secret.
It was also a measure to shake off anyone trying to track Hikki down.
And since protecting Hikki's personal information had been a condition of registration, they couldn't press any further.
The reporters were starting to get irritated, though.
“There are concerns that a child committing acts of slaughter in the Tower is no different from being abused.”
“Hunter Hikki is climbing entirely of their own free will. Speculation about their age and claims of abuse are both excessive interpretations.”
Im Wan-seop responded calmly.
“You previously promised astronomical support. Will you keep that promise?”
“We intend to provide whatever Hikki wants. This will include not only financial support, but also supplies and training facilities that will help with climbing.”
A few reporters' eyes lit up.
They thought they could track down Hikki's location by following the Bureau's budget.
Of course, Director Im had a plan to block even that kind of attempt.
“I'll take one last question.”
“How does Hikki intend to serve the country?”
They were probably thinking of things like joining Gate subjugation teams.
“We can't force anyone to serve. We're considering a system that lets Awakened people work according to their own aptitudes, rather than requiring everyone to participate in the same way.”
“Does that mean…?”
“I believe Hikki's very existence will be a positive inspiration to other Awakened.”
In other words, Hikki wouldn't be making any official public appearances.
The reporters had no choice but to leave disappointed.
The same went for the organizations drawing up plans to eliminate Hikki.
***
“Yaaawn-”
I slept so well….
It's already morning.
Maybe it was because I'd used up so much mana.
I slept through almost an entire day.
‘The amazing thing is, I could've slept even longer.’
If my smartphone hadn't vibrated, I wouldn't have woken up even now.
Bzzzz-
Bzzzz-
“All right, all right, I'll check it.”
I calmed my phone down.
There were tons of messages waiting for me.
Messages from Capybara. Probably 999, give or take.
About ten or so from the bear.
Capybara's messages all seemed to be making a big fuss, so let's skip those….
They're probably all about how people reacted to the clear video and how the internet reacted.
Instead, I checked the bear's messages in the notification preview.
─ The official registration announcement was made yesterday.
─ None of the information related to Hikki-nim's personal details was disclosed.
Good work.
Honestly, I wasn't planning to hide my identity completely.
That would be a hassle in itself.
‘But if people find out who I am….’
All sorts of people might come to my door.
They'd ask me to take pictures, show my face, recommend dinner menus.
It'd be chaos.
And then it wouldn't just be annoying.
‘Ugh, just imagining it is exhausting.’
I'll keep it hidden for now.
I checked the next message.
─ We'll keep your Awakened registration temporary for the time being as well.
─ At the moment, we're unable to fully resolve concerns about a possible leak of your personal information…. Please accept my apologies.
─ I'll make sure Hikki-nim receives all support through me without any issues.
Oh.
That's a relief, too.
No wonder the bear hadn't asked me for my name or age.
‘Come to think of it, that could've been a pretty alarming situation.’
The national database only lists a man named Kim Ji-min right now.
Then some silver-haired girl shows up claiming she's Kim Ji-min?
‘They'd definitely think some vicious lunatic of a mage had killed Kim Ji-min and was impersonating him.’
─ Kim Ji-min, you're under arrest for the murder and concealment of Kim Ji-min's death, and for impersonation!
─ Waaaaah!
Could something like that have happened?
Ugh….
I should get a fake ID made or something.
Would Capybara do that, too?
I hope so.
I skimmed the rest of the messages.
─ Attached is a document regarding government support. Please select the support you would like and reply.
Support?
I quickly opened the file that had come by text.
[We've reorganized the list to reflect Hikki-nim's personal needs.]
That bear's surprisingly thoughtful, huh?
What a sly fox.
I scrolled through the list.
If I had to pick the things I really wanted, it'd be these.
- Private training grounds
- Private residence
- Equipment and artifact support
I didn't need the other things right now.
There was even support for enrolling in an international school.
I'm not going back to school, am I?
‘Let's just check these three and send it back.’
I can ask for the others later if I find I need them.
All right, I checked three and sent it!
“Gwaaaah.”
That was exhausting.
How did sending one text message take this much mental energy?!
It's seriously so hard.
‘Capybara…. Bear….’
Sorry after all the trouble you went to.
Looks like the Archmage Gallery really is my haven after all.
“Then let's hit up the Archmage Gallery!”
Wrapped myself up in a blanket and opened the gallery.
[Why evaporating Water Magic doesn't make it Air Magic]
[Meteor research team, disband. You sons of bitches]
[Let's see me ever do another group project, damn it]
The gallery users were spouting nonsense again today.
You mages.
That's not what's important right now.
[I think I've become a world-famous star?]
[Hikki]
The world is stunned by the arrival of a world-class genius mage!
└AngryArtist: So what?
└Illegal: Which mage asked you?
└GoodAtHousework: Hehe, sounds like something good happened.
└└Hikki: I registered with the country and released my clear video.
└└Hikki: Seems like people are reacting well? Hehehe.
└Illegal: The level of this place…. How bad do you have to be to get capped at Hikki's level?
└└ErfPff: Just ‘human.’
Tch.
Always so prickly.
└WordsGoInHorses: Had you not revealed your identity before, either?
└Hikki: It's cooler to hide your power, obviously.
└ElfFailure: Quit acting up before you go too far.
└ElfFailure: I know humans well. Keep it up and you'll get stabbed.
What?
That elf barged in out of nowhere and challenged me to a UFC match.
That completely ruined the mood.
I know they don't like me, but still.
What a nasty thing to say….
└Hikki: Who knows humans better…. an elf, or me, a human?
└Hikki: I'll smack you! Just try me!
└ElfFailure: You think you know humans?
└ElfFailure: Have you ever been hit by a human's blade? Ever cut someone's head off?
└└Ice Bat: You crazy bitch, what do you mean, cut someone's head off? Cut it out. Quit saying useless shit.
Wait, was anatomy the standard for knowing people?
What was she, a doctor?
└ElfFailure: I'm just being honest.
└ElfFailure: Isn't jealousy and envy a passive trait for humans?
└ElfFailure: If someone outdoes them, they try to drag them down or get rid of them.
└ElfFailure: Can you honestly deny it?
└ElfFailure: Can you say there isn't anyone trying to find you and drag you down?
‘Yeah, no.’
I was about to reply with that—
Then I stopped.
Was there really no one?
Why else would so many countries have tried to recruit me in the first place?
Pride?
To become a Hunter powerhouse?
That couldn't be the only reason.
They could secure more mana stones through me.
They could deal with the threats of the Tower and Gates more easily.
‘And in an emergency, I could even become a military asset.’
A top-ranked Hunter was an asymmetric weapon.
They could change the course of a war.
They could bring an enemy country to its knees without even starting a war.
On the other hand, from another country's perspective, I was a threat.
A walking nuclear missile, plain and simple.
Now that my place was decided, other countries would have to treat me as a threat.
‘Could there really be a country that would try to eliminate me before I got stronger?’
“Gasp!”
There might be…!
No, there definitely is.
I have to think that way.
Crimes against Hunters had happened before.
└Hikki: Sure, there must be. Terrorism, assassination, kidnapping…. Guess it's the fate of a celebrity?
└└Ice Bat: ????
└ElfFailure: Then how are you going to handle it?
└ElfFailure: Are you willing to kill someone?
└Hikki: Why would I kill someone?
└ElfFailure: So, no.
That is a problem.
Killing a person is on a whole different level from killing a monster.
I didn't think I could do it.
But what if I subdued them without killing them?
I could buy time with a binding spell, but….
‘Would I be able to hold on?’
The other person would be a powerful Hunter, too.
Could I keep them bound until someone came to rescue me?
I don't think so….
└Ice Bat: Hmm, well, I guess it wasn't completely out of the question.
└Ice Bat: You should learn some self-defense magic, too. You can't rely on overpowering everything with damage forever.
└Ice Bat: Conveniently, it's Uncle IronBeard's turn next week, so learn from him. Earth magic is the best for defense.
└IronBeard: In that case, I think we'll have to change the schedule!
Huh?
Why?
└IronBeard: Earth magic requires manipulating each and every grain of sand! It consumes a considerable amount of mana!
└IronBeard: Metal magic is the same.
└IronBeard: Not suitable for a situation that calls for endurance!
└Illegal: Is that supposed to be hard?
└MomThatKidEatsDirt: If it looked easy, that's because we're damn good at itㅋㅋ
Then what am I supposed to do….
The elf had only scared me and disappeared.
The other kinds of magic weren't ideal for defensive use, either.
I was fretting over what to do when—
Ding-
A comment notification rang.
└ThatsActuallyReal: You've awakened.
└ThatsActuallyReal: Come learn illusion magic.