A Misunderstanding That Goes Too Far

My name is Kim Do-yun, age 27. If you ask what my job is, the answer's a bit hard to explain. Officially, I'm just a regular office worker or at least, I was, before all this chaos happened.

I'm a nobody. Seriously, I'm just an ordinary guy. I don't have steel muscles, super stamina, or any special abilities. I can't punch monsters and send them flying for dozens of meters. Heck, I can barely land a hit on a mosquito sometimes.

But somehow, I'm now known as one of the strongest Hunters. "The mysterious S-Rank Hunter," they call me. A Hunter who "hides his power" and only shows up in critical moments. At least, that's the rumor going around.

I know what you're thinking.

"There must be some hidden power or secret behind this ordinary guy!" Unfortunately, there's none of that.

The only "power" I have is… well luck, luck that might as well be called misfortune.

It's luck that, somehow, manages to attract everyone's attention. Not just minor luck, but luck that's absolutely ridiculous.

Imagine this I can casually walk through a field filled with monsters, and somehow, none of them even notice me. Or, the first time I got trapped in a Gate, I was nearly killed… but then the giant monster there suddenly stumbled and died on a massive thorn that was probably a trap lying there for decades.

The people around me immediately shouted, "Wow, he destroyed the monster just by looking at it!"

I can't destroy anything with my gaze! I don't even know how that happened.

What's even stranger is that, even when I try to explain the truth, they just look at me in awe. Maybe they think I'm some kind of wise sage who's just humble? I don't get it either.

And now, here I am, standing in front of the Korean Hunter Association, surrounded by dozens of reporters like I'm some kind of celebrity. Maybe they think I'm going to reveal some secret strategy or a new move I'll use in the next Gate.

Honestly, if I could, my only plan would be to dodge and pray for luck in there.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself as the camera flashes nearly blind me. Some famous Hunters are here too, waiting for their turn to enter the Gate, but somehow, all the attention is on me. A reporter waves from the crowd, microphone extended toward me.

"Kim Do-yun, how do you feel before entering this Gate? Any special preparations?" he asks.

I smile, trying not to look panicked.

"Uh… preparations, huh?"

Actually, my only preparation is to hope the monsters in there don't kill an ordinary guy like me on the spot. But I can't say that, can I? Quickly, I continue.

"Well, maybe… my preparation is just to try my best," I answer, with a small laugh.

The reporter laughs too, thinking I'm joking. But I'm dead serious here. Behind him, I can see the other Hunters looking at me with admiration.

"Incredible! Staying humble even in a moment like this," a young Hunter whispers to his friend, his eyes shining as if I'm a god or something.

I feel even more nervous.

Another reporter steps closer, and this time she asks, "Do-yun, could you give us a hint about your plan for facing the monsters in this Gate?"

"Uh… plan?" I think hard, trying to find an answer that sounds smart but believable.

As I think, I glance toward the Gate, which is starting to open. "Well… I'll probably assess the situation first. If possible, I won't get directly involved."

The reporter nods, looking impressed. "A very wise strategy. Not acting impulsively. Truly shows the class of an S-Rank Hunter."

I can only smile. Honestly, this is all too much. The reporters keep taking notes, creating a wave of praise that just makes me feel more pressured.

Meanwhile, some of the other Hunters approach, one of them being Kim Ji-ho, an A-Rank Hunter often in the media spotlight. He pats my shoulder with a serious expression.

"Hyung Do-yun, I've been wanting to ask for a while…" he says. "How do you control fear in extreme situations? I often get nervous when facing high-level monsters. You must have some great tips, right?"

I fall silent, nearly laughing. Tips for handling fear? If only they knew that every time I enter a Gate, I feel like running away. But I can't say that to Ji-ho, of course.

"I… well, I guess… just taking deep breaths," I finally reply, trying to sound wise. "And staying positive?"

Ji-ho nods deeply. "That must be it. Really simple but effective."

I try not to laugh. Everyone here genuinely thinks I'm extraordinary, even though I know I'm just an ordinary guy with absurd luck.

The Gate's doors open wider, revealing the foreign world inside. The air around me grows colder, and greenish-blue light shines from within the Gate. One by one, the Hunters begin to enter, waiting their turn with tense, serious expressions.

When my turn finally comes, I step forward, holding my breath. I know all eyes are on me, and I have to pretend to look confident, even though inside I'm shaking.

"Good luck, Do-yun!" one of the reporters shouts.

I raise my hand and give a slight wave, then without saying anything else, I enter the Gate. The cold Gate air instantly hits me. I feel nervous, though there's a bit of relief now that there are no cameras or reporters watching me.

But I can't relax yet. As soon as I step in, I spot a massive monster in the distance. My eyes widen, and I nearly freeze on the spot.

"Seriously, why does it always have to be so perfectly timed…" I whisper, swallowing hard. The monster moves slowly, its voice heavy and terrifying. I can see its shadow growing larger, as if ready to crush me.

"Why can't my luck kick in a bit earlier?" I sigh, hoping something miraculous happens.

And at that exact moment, there's a loud explosion behind me. The ground shakes, and the giant monster suddenly tumbles over, hit by a huge piece of debris that came out of nowhere.

I stand there, trying to process what just happened.

The other Hunters who entered after me see the scene and start cheering.

"Wow! Amazing! He didn't even move, but he managed to destroy the monster with a single blow! Truly an S-Rank Hunter!"

I just stand there, trying to smile while holding back a wave of relief.

"Yeah… that's just… how I am," I mumble awkwardly, though inside I can only hope my luck doesn't run out today.

The sound of my breathing echoes as I move deeper into the Gate. The dimming light makes the atmosphere even more ominous.

The chill began to creep in, and the rustling sounds around us only heightened the tension. I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, but unfortunately, all eyes were on me even though they kept a safe distance, as if I were a ticking time bomb ready to go off.

"Do-yun-ssi, you must have an amazing strategy to deal with the monsters here, right?" one of the younger Hunters, an A-Rank, asked with a hopeful tone. He looked at me eagerly, as though expecting advice from a seasoned expert.

"Oh… of course," I replied, forcing a smile. In reality, my only strategy was to survive.

The young Hunter looked even more enthusiastic. "Wow, that's so cool! It's exactly how a Rank S Hunter should act. I'll try to follow your lead."

Follow my lead, my ass! I stifled a laugh. If only they knew I was just trying not to be noticed by the monsters.

We ventured further, and the silence within the Gate grew heavier. On the right, there was a faint sound of a giant monster's footsteps. My heart almost jumped out of my chest. I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned toward the source of the noise.

"Ah, he stopped!" someone whispered from behind me. They all halted too, waiting for my next move.

"Do-yun-ssi, is there something up ahead?" another Hunter asked, his tone wary.

I simply nodded, though in truth, I was on the verge of fainting from fear.

"Maybe… we should… be more cautious."

The Hunters nodded, interpreting my words as vital guidance. They started getting ready, and somehow, they thought I was calmly assessing the situation. Meanwhile, in my mind, I was just praying that my luck would kick in.

Suddenly, the massive monster emerged from behind a large rock on the right. It dragged its enormous, terrifying body forward, its red eyes glaring straight at us. A shiver ran down my spine, and I almost screamed, but I barely managed to hold it in.

The Hunters around me began to prepare for battle, yet for some reason, they kept looking at me, waiting for a command.

"Oh… that's quite a big monster," I said, my voice trembling as I tried to sound calm. "Maybe… we should back up a little?" I suggested, hoping they'd agree and run away with me.

"A strategic retreat to reset our position? He must know this monster's weakness!" one of the Hunters whispered in awe.

Before I knew it, they all followed my lead to retreat. I took a careful step back, hoping to create some distance from the creature. But as I moved, a large rock detached from the ceiling and fell right onto the monster's head. The monster let out a pained roar before collapsing, unmoving.

Every Hunter watching was stunned. They stared at me with mouths agape, while I was still trying to process what had just happened.

"Incredible! Kim Do-yun-ssi calculated every possible outcome with precision!" a Hunter exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration.

I could only smile awkwardly. I was as baffled as they were by what had just happened.

"Well… maybe it was just a coincidence…" I muttered, trying to offer some kind of explanation.

But rather than understand, my words only made them even more impressed.

"To be able to control natural elements to attack the enemy…! Rank S is truly something else!" one of them murmured in amazement.

"Kim Do-yun-ssi, did you learn this abroad?" another Hunter asked, his expression curious.

"Huh?" I was taken aback by the question. Abroad? The truth was, I'd never even left Seoul! Stifling a laugh, I replied, "No… it's just… well, instinct."

The Hunters nodded, and I could see the admiration only growing in their eyes. They genuinely believed I had some secret technique. If they knew the truth, they'd probably call me a fraud.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the Gate was still ominous. I walked further in, followed closely by the Hunters who seemed even more convinced of my "extraordinary" abilities which, in reality, I didn't have at all. I felt increasingly trapped in a role I hadn't chosen.

"Do-yun-ssi," the young Hunter from earlier called out. "Can I stick close to you? I want to learn directly from you."

I tried to keep my expression calm, nodding reluctantly.

"Uh… sure, go ahead…"

The young Hunter looked overjoyed, as if this was the greatest moment of his life. I could only sigh deeply, hoping my luck would hold out until I made it out of this Gate safely.

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