Chapter 1

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: The Civil Servant Hunter
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Her eyes, glazed over with the soulless look unique to office workers on the clock, were fixed on the monitor.

That wasn't just true for Yoon Seora. Fatigue was etched on the faces of every employee in the office.

As civil servants for the state-run Korean Awakened Management Association, being perpetually exhausted was a given. Whenever a dungeon appeared, they had to drop everything and rush out, no matter the time or place.

Just like right now.

“A gate has appeared near Yeoksam Station! Color is green! It’s a dungeon break!”

Aaaack! Screams erupted from all over.

“It’s almost quitting time, and of all things, a dungeon break!”

“So, it's confirmed… overtime for the third day in a row.”

“Team 2 is departing. Yeoksam Station… isn't the Noeul Guild headquarters nearby? Please contact them and request hunter dispatch.”

The field dispatch unit of Dungeon Management Team 2 hurriedly got up and ran outside.

Yeoksam Station was in the area assigned to Team 2, so it wouldn't be a problem for the other teams to go home. The same was true for Yoon Seora, who was in Team 1.

‘…If this were the past, that is.’

She would have been wailing in relief that it wasn't her team's jurisdiction, offering a quick prayer of thanks to the heavens before gleefully packing up to go home! But Seora, who had been dreaming of quitting time all day, looked uncharacteristically grim.

The fact that it was a dungeon break, not just a regular dungeon, was unsettling enough, but that wasn't the main issue.

‘Just looking at this message, this is no ordinary matter.’

Seora stared at the system message floating before her eyes with a gloomy face.

【Dungeon Break Occurrence】

A Green Gate has appeared near Yeoksam Station. Please prepare for danger.

The game-like system interface was something naturally visible to any Awakened.

But Yoon Seora was certain. She was the only one here who could see this message.

‘Ah! So much for getting off on time today! This is why I need to quit this job ASAP!’

In the end, the moment the clock struck six, Seora bolted from the Association headquarters faster than anyone, tears streaming down her face. She didn't even hear the chuckles from behind about how she was leaving in a blur.

If something happened to Team 2, no one in this office would be smiling tomorrow morning.

* * *

“Just as I thought.”

Standing on the rooftop of a mid-rise building near Yeoksam Station, Seora clicked her tongue. In a short time, the area around the station had become a chaotic mess due to the monsters that had already burst out of the gate.

Fortunately, it seemed the boss monster hadn't appeared yet…

“Of all things, ogres. What bad luck.”

Ogres, which primarily appeared in Grade 4 dungeons—out of a total of seven grades—were impossible for Team 2 to handle, as their members' average rank was less than B. It looked like the guild hunters hadn't arrived yet, either. At this rate, the area around the station was bound to become a complete disaster.

And she would have to work overtime tomorrow.

Yep. That was something she absolutely refused to accept.

Yoon Seora opened her inventory, took out a jet-black sniper rifle, and got into position. As her hand touched it, the body of the gun flashed red for a moment.

Through the scope, she saw a total of seven ogres. As soon as she locked onto their positions, she pulled the trigger.

“Bang, bang.”

Instead of bullets, blasts of mana shot out, accurately blowing up the ogres' heads one by one. Not only the terrified citizens, but also the civil servants holding back the monsters, were greatly bewildered.

Even in that chaotic situation, Seora masterfully picked off only the rampaging ogres, pulling the trigger in succession. *Pop!* With the satisfying sound of heads exploding, all seven ogres collapsed to the ground.

“Ah, the burning feeling from losing my on-time departure is finally calming down… like hell it is. Give me back my quitting time!”

Now that they were all dead, the sorrow over her lost quitting time resurfaced. Sure, sacrificing it had saved her from overtime tomorrow, but that’s not how human emotions worked.

Seora watched her relieved Team 2 colleagues and the citizens weeping with joy at their survival, a sense of satisfaction washing over her.

Well, all's well that ends well. Everyone survived, and her identity wasn't revealed, so that was enough.

“The guild will take care of the monsters that haven't crossed over from the gate yet.”

She could feel guild hunters approaching from that direction. About six of them. Judging by their auras, there were no top-tiers, just mid-to-high-tiers at best. With their level of skill, they would never be able to sense her presence.

Seora put the rifle back into her inventory and stood up. Just then, a system message popped up before her eyes.

【A new post has been uploaded to the community.】

“…”

Seora's face hardened coldly.

The community was one of the features run by the system itself. Any Awakened who could see the system screen could post on it…

Naturally, there were no notifications for new posts. The fact that one appeared meant someone was dying to show it to her.

“What is it now? What do you want me to see?”

As Seora glared at the empty air, the community window appeared before her.

【Title: Is it true Headbang showed up at Yeoksam Station today?】

“…”

The title alone was ominous.

【First, let's start with a round of applause.

A dungeon break just happened at Yeoksam Station. I was on my way home from work, and when I saw the ogres pop out, I thought my heart was gonna pop out too.

But how am I still alive, you ask? Yep, Headbang-nim made an appearance^^!!

Kyah, just when I thought I was dead, a bullet from who-knows-where instantly blew all seven of their heads off. Seriously, the people around me could only go… 'Whoa...'

I never imagined I'd experience the meaning of 'one shot, one kill' so vividly. This must be what they mean when they say something is so satisfying!

But once again, I couldn't even catch a glimpse of a single strand of Headbang-nim's hair… *sob sob*. When will I ever get to see Bang-nim in person?

I'd have no other wishes if I could just feel Bang-nim's touch once ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ】

Headbang.

Seora felt depressed at that word. Such a tacky nickname. They call themselves a people of humor, so why did they have to give her a nickname like that?

I mean, sure, I usually shoot monsters in the head! But that's because it's the weak spot for any monster, isn't it?!

This is so unfair!

【Administrator: (´ε｀ʃƪ)♡】

Just then, a new message floated above the community window. It seemed to be a sign of ‘good work,’ but for some reason, it put her in a terrible mood.

“You showed me this on purpose to tease me, didn't you?”

When Seora asked with a suspicious glare, another message appeared.

【Administrator: ♡(ʃƪ ˘ ³˘)】

“You are teasing me!”

【Administrator: (ง ˙∇˙)ว】

“Hey!”

A furious fist flew toward the system window. However, the fist that could send a B-Rank monster flying in one blow passed right through the message window instead of hitting it.

At the same time, a message popped up as if it had been waiting.

【System: ε⌯(ง ˙∇˙)ว ε⌯(ง ˙∇˙)ว ε⌯(ง ˙∇˙)ว ε⌯(ง ˙∇˙)ว ε⌯(ง ˙∇˙)ว ε⌯(ง ˙∇˙)ว ε⌯(ง ˙∇˙)ว】

An emoticon that clearly meant ‘hitting me is useless’ was flying around before her eyes.

Overcome with a sense of injustice, Seora clenched her fists and trembled all over.

She knew she couldn't hit it, but would it kill them to even pretend to get hit? Do they really get a kick out of teasing people like this?!

“This one-sided emoticon spamming… It's so unfair!”

Like someone in despair, Seora flopped onto the ground and lamented her situation. As she did, her civil servant ID card, which she had forgotten to take off in her hurry, dangled before her eyes.

「Korean Awakened Management Association
Management Office
Dungeon Management Team | Yoon Seora (F-Rank)」

F-Rank.

At that word, Seora's anger toward the system instantly fizzled out.

That's right. Until recently, she had definitely been a bottom-tier F-Rank hunter.

So how did she manage to take down seven B-Rank ogres in an instant?

It was all thanks to that cheeky system.

【You are the System Administrator's one and only contractor.】

【Awakened ‘Yoon Seora’ (S-Rank)】

Jumping from a mere F-Rank to an S-Rank Awakened.

That was what Yoon Seora had gained by becoming the System Administrator's contractor.

And she was the only contractor in the entire world.

【System: ヽ(๑╹▽╹๑)ノ】

…If she had known the System Administrator was this weird, she would have thought it over again and again.

Seora beat her chest in lament.