HBWnovel Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Early 2019.
Earth and humanity faced a sudden cataclysm.
Countless gates and dungeons appeared all over the world out of nowhere.@@@@
Monsters of various kinds poured out from those places.
Many people were massacred by monsters that rendered firearms and other weapons useless.
At the same time, a small number of humans began to awaken.
It was the beginning of the Great Hunter Era.
Time passed, and it was now spring 2024.
The Hunter Management Bureau was established in Seoul to manage the hunters.
Late at night, two people were having a conversation in a room belonging to that bureau.
“Are you from another world?”
“...Yes.”
As a plain-looking man with dark circles under his eyes asked the question, the woman across from him answered quietly.
Her face was covered by a black veil, hiding her features.
Without her clear and melodious voice, it would have been difficult to distinguish her gender.
“If it’s true, you’re the second returnee in the world.”
“...”
“Well, it’s a bit frustrating to talk like this. Can I ask you to take off the veil?”
The woman, who had been looking at the desk, lifted her head at the man’s weary words.
“Never take off the veil outside. Don’t mix conversations with others.”
These were the words that the heroes and their party had always emphasized.
But they were no longer here. This is Earth now.
“True. I apologize.”
The woman slowly removed her veil.
As she did, her hidden beautiful face revealed itself.
Her waist-length white hair flowed down like silk.
Her flawless white skin and delicate features were striking.
The golden eyes, barely visible through her half-closed eyelids, added to her exotic beauty.
The man’s eyes widened at the appearance of this ethereal beauty.
“Ahem! Si-hyun? The missing record said you were male.”
“...It just happened that way.”
“Anyway, your family has been contacted and is on their way here. Until then, let’s have a chat.”
“Sure.”
As Si-hyun replied, the staff member lightly nodded.
“As I just mentioned, you are Korea’s first returnee, so there are no established laws yet.”
“Then what about my identity...?”
“If your younger sister agrees when she arrives, we’ll restore your identity.”
“If I can’t prove it, I’ll become an illegal resident.”
“That’s correct.”
The man, closely observing Si-hyun’s reaction, sighed in relief.
Even though she spoke little, she seemed calm and sufficiently sensible.
“Don’t worry too much. Your identity can be resolved at the bureau’s discretion.”
“Okay.”
“So, could you share your story? We need information.”
Si-hyun nodded and summarized the necessary information.
She had thought she was dead during the cataclysm, but when she regained consciousness, she found herself in her current body.
To return to Earth, she had helped the hero party defeat the Demon King.
As her short tale concluded, the man smiled wryly.
“Haha, what a fantastical story! It resembles the current state of Earth.”
“Is it that serious?”
“There’s no Demon King, but things have changed a lot due to the gates. It’s total chaos.”
The man unintentionally let out a complaint.
At that moment, the door to the consultation room burst open, and a young woman stormed in.
“Oppa—!”
The three of them looked at each other in confusion.
Soon, the woman, having heard the man’s explanation, covered her mouth and looked at Si-hyun.
With wide eyes, she sat down.
She was there to verify the truth.
---
“Um, it might be strange to ask again, but... is it really you, our oppa?”
As I looked at my younger sister, who was worriedly asking me while taking off her shoes, I saw the only family member who had grown into an adult after five years.
Fortunately, the bureau had agreed that Si-yoon was my family.
Afterward, it was decided that a detailed consultation would continue later.
It was far too late at night for that.
So, we took a taxi to Si-yoon’s house.
“Have you changed a lot?”
“Well...”
“Thanks for believing me.”
I ruffled my younger sister's hair.
The little sister I remembered had grown up, and I felt smaller in comparison.
As a result, my sister was now taller than me.
I had to look slightly up to meet her eyes.
“How did you manage to find a place in Seoul? We used to live in the countryside.”
“Gia unni helped!”
“Gia? My university classmate?”
“Yeah!”
Si-yoon responded cheerfully, clapping her hands.
“She awakened and became a hunter! She heard about you and helped me.”
“...Is being a hunter that lucrative?”
“Depends on the rank! Unni is A-rank!”
Si-yoon excitedly continued explaining.
S-rank is regarded as a hero.
Below that, there are a total of six ranks from A to E.
“Ah! Your blushing is cute!”
“Hey...”
“Feels like I’ve gained a little sister instead of an oppa?”
“...”
I had to change the topic.
“Now that the obsessive hero is gone, should I cut my hair? Can you lend me some scissors?”
“No way!”
An intense reaction came back.
I was taken aback by this unexpected response.
“...Why?”
“It’d be a waste! Let’s just go to a hair salon and get it trimmed.”
“Too much trouble...”
“Hmm.”
“Fine, fine. Then can you lend me a headband?”
“There’s one in that drawer!”
Wow, I was surprised.
Our little sister has grown a lot since I last saw her.
As I glared with wide eyes, my heart raced.
It was scarier than the sharp gaze of the griffon I had encountered in another world.
“Hmm?”
As I opened the drawer my sister pointed out, I immediately spotted an eye-catching object.
Modern women's underwear.
Unlike the plain underwear from that world, it had a fancy design.
I suddenly felt that my sister had become an adult woman.
It wasn’t intentional, but I had seen someone else's, especially my sister's underwear.
I carefully took out only the headband and closed the drawer.
As I turned my head, I was met with a sly gaze.
“Unni.”
“...Yes?”
As I responded, Si-yoon narrowed her eyes and said.
“You saw it, didn’t you?”
“...Yeah.”
“Then I should be able to see it too, right?”
“Huh?”
Why was her logic flowing like that?
I involuntarily took a step back.
“Now that we’re both women, I’m curious about the design of the underwear from another world.”
“It’s nothing special.”
“You saw mine, so it’s unfair.”
“...”
Could she have been planning this from the start?
I looked at my sister with suspicious eyes, but I was ignored.
After a brief standoff, I ultimately lost.
...According to my sister's logic, it wasn’t like I was showing it to a man.
If it were a man, I might have kicked him right away thinking of the hero’s gaze.
I hesitated, lifting my shirt.
“See, it’s nothing special?”
“What’s this... It’s way too nothing special! We should definitely go shopping tomorrow.”
“Is that okay?”
“It’s even worse now!”
Feeling the pressure, I cautiously nodded.
Indeed, the energy of a real woman is intimidating.
At that moment.
*Ding Dong!*
“I think the chicken has arrived. I’ll go check!”
“Okay.”
I sat on the sofa, staring blankly at Si-yoon, who was walking toward the front door.
She opened the door.
Her bright smile froze.
A tall blonde man forced his way into the house.
My sister was pushed against the wall.
“Finally, you opened the door.”
“...Can you please go away?”
“Don’t be like that. If you date me, I can guarantee your life!”
“I really don’t like it.”
...I stood up from the sofa.
I couldn’t help but think that he wasn’t a delivery person.
“I may not look it, but I’m a C-rank hunter. I earn well.”
“I’m not interested.”
“Hah, come on... Hmm?”
As he approached, he finally noticed me and turned his head.
His mouth dropped open, and his eyes roamed up and down.
“Wow! What’s this? You’re incredibly beautiful!”
“Hey! Don’t touch my sister!”
Ignoring my sister, the man stood up and looked down at me.
I watched him for a moment before speaking.
“Boyfriend?”
“Haha! I....”
“Shut up! You stalker!”
As soon as I heard my sister’s shout, I quickly made a judgment.
Here, there were no parties of heroes who oppressed me.
No church, no royalty, no Demon King.
There was nothing to hold me back.
“Gyaah——!”
As I kicked him in the shins, a sound of bone breaking echoed as the man crumpled to the floor.
Now I looked down at him.
“Stalker, huh?”
How dare he target my precious younger sister?
He had some nerve.
It was time for his repentance.