The Failed Hunter's Morning
"Next."
At the indifferent voice, Luke looked up and confirmed the number on the board had changed. It was his turn. Finally. After two hours and thirty minutes.
"Thank God."
He muttered as he stood. The Management Bureau's request reception lobby was still packed with hunters. At this hour, most of them were probably here for the same reason—trying to snag their first Monday morning job.
Luke lifted his head and walked toward the counter with forced confidence. But he knew better than anyone how much his battered hunter coat—God knows where he'd found it—and the absence of a rank badge made him stand out among the other hunters.
"Luke Hayden, E-rank hunter."
He handed over his card. The clerk didn't even glance at him before scanning it. Luke already knew what was coming.
"Luke Hayden... E-rank, right?" The clerk finally looked up, a subtle sneer barely concealed in his expression. "All that's left is basement rat extermination and sewer cleaning. Pick one."
D-7 Station sewer cleaning. Seongbuk District apartment basement rat removal. Luke's eyes darted across the screen. Four hours of work for 50,000 won and 60,000 won respectively. Pathetically small amounts, but if he didn't take jobs like these, he'd be going hungry tonight.
"I'll take the rat removal."
"Figures."
The clerk made no effort to hide his scorn as he slid a tablet across the counter. At the next window, the same clerk who'd been all smiles for a B-rank hunter treated Luke like a pebble on the sidewalk.
As Luke signed the request form, he caught fragments of conversation from the adjacent counter.
"Next Saturday? C-rank monster hunt for 500,000 won... That's an excellent job, Hunter Park."
"Haha, that's a piece of cake for me. I'm thinking of streaming it this time. Streaming's all the rage these days, right?"
"Yes! I'll definitely watch. I'll hit that subscribe button!"
Luke's hand paused. A C-rank job for 500,000 won. More than he could make catching rats for an entire week. And streaming on top of that.
Luke gave the clerk a slight nod and shuffled out of the lobby. Among the other hunters' flashy gear and outfits, his own appearance was pathetic beyond words.
He tried to maintain a confident stride, but the moment he left the Management Bureau building, Luke's shoulders sagged. There was no one watching now.
"E-rank Luke, rat hunter." He laughed bitterly. "That was my nickname. Good enough, right?"
It wasn't good enough. Not even close.
"I'm back."
The only response to Luke's words was the creaking of his studio apartment door. The cramped 400-square-foot space was cluttered with dirty laundry, empty cup noodle containers, and scattered books. On the table sat leftover convenience store kimbap from yesterday.
"Can barely even call this a home."
Luke's gaze lingered on a faded photo frame hanging on the wall. Taken ten years ago, it showed a young boy beaming with a trophy in his hands. 'National Junior Mage Competition - Youngest Winner.' Luke barely remembered those days. Or rather, he didn't want to remember.
"Prodigy? Don't make me laugh."
Luke grabbed the TV remote and started flipping channels. A news channel was covering the latest S-rank labyrinth conquest.
"S-rank hunter Ryan Kane has set yet another record. Conquering the 'Crimson Moon Depths' solo, he surpassed one million live stream viewers. This marks..."
Luke glared at the hunter in gleaming armor on the screen. Perfect physique, confident smile, and that 'S' emblazoned on his rank badge. Even during the interview, his confidence seemed to burst through the screen.
"Honestly, this labyrinth was easier than I expected. My fans' support really gave me strength."
Luke scoffed. "Yeah, I bet. Ten years ago though... that would've been me up there."
A sudden impulse struck him. Luke opened his palm and concentrated. The sensation of gathering all his mana to his fingertips—something that used to be as natural as breathing when he was young.
A moment later, a small blue flame flickered at his fingertip. But it vanished before even a second passed.
"Of course."
Luke smiled bitterly. Ten years ago, on the day all his abilities suddenly disappeared, this was all he could manage. Even conjuring a single flame left him drenched in cold sweat.
The prodigy mage had been forgotten by the world. All that remained was Luke Hayden, E-rank hunter—rat catcher.
"Whatever. Time to go catch some rats."
Luke packed a small bag with basic tools. E-rank jobs rarely required magic or special weapons. Rat traps, some cleaning solution, and gloves were more than enough.
The Seongbuk District apartment basement storage was hell, just as Luke expected. Under dim lighting, the rats barely flinched at his arrival. This place belonged to them, not humans.
"This is basically a D-rank monster hunt, not rat removal."
Luke grumbled as he set the traps. For four hours, he caught rats, removed nests, and plugged holes. Work that no one appreciated, that no one saw.
As he was checking the last trap before leaving, his phone buzzed. A notification.
[Hunter Streaming Platform - New Streamer Support Event!] [Special bonus of 100,000 won for reaching 100 viewers on your first stream!]
Luke stopped and read the message. Streaming. He'd thought it was the exclusive domain of high-rank hunters. But an event?
"100,000 won... that's a week's rent."
He fished through his pockets and found a few coins and a crumpled 10,000 won note. Whether he could make it to tomorrow morning was questionable.
Luke suddenly recalled the conversation he'd overheard at the counter. Even C-rank hunters were making side income from streaming. Then maybe he, an E-rank hunter, could...
"No way."
But curiosity got the better of him. Luke typed "hunter streaming income" into the search bar.
[Top 10 Popular Hunter Streamer Average Monthly Income]
- Ryan Kane (S-rank) - 350 million won
- Mira Jang (S-rank) - 280 million won ...
- Taeho Park (C-rank) - 20 million won
"What?!"
Luke double-checked the numbers. A C-rank hunter making 20 million won a month from streaming alone? How much would that be combined with job fees?
His fingers moved almost on their own. Luke downloaded the 'Hunter Streaming Platform' app. A simple registration screen appeared.
[Hunter Rank]: E-rank [Name]: Luke Hayden [Broadcast Category]: ...
Luke hesitated at 'Broadcast Category.' What could he stream? Catching rats? Who would want to watch that?
Then a thought struck him. Dangerous, reckless, and probably insane.
'D-rank labyrinth challenge.'
An E-rank hunter challenging a higher-ranked labyrinth. Would people watch? Probably. Most likely as a laughingstock. But what if he succeeded? Luke completed the registration form.
"This is my last chance."
Luke swallowed hard. Before pressing the button, he hesitated. He knew it was reckless. But he couldn't end his career just chasing rats.
"Fine, Ryan Kane? I'll show you who I really am."
Luke pressed 'Complete.' The screen changed.
[Congratulations! 'Luke Hayden' has joined the Hunter Streaming Platform!] [Start Your First Broadcast]
Luke's finger hovered over the button again. In that moment, memories from ten years ago—the day all his abilities vanished—flashed through his mind like lightning. Despair, frustration, and the past he'd had to abandon without ever knowing why.
"This time will be different."
Luke's finger pressed the screen. And in the silence of his tiny studio apartment, only the light of the camera turning on pierced the darkness.
"Hello, I'm Luke Hayden, E-rank hunter. Starting today..."
Luke's voice suddenly caught. It was hard to continue. But he took another deep breath and steeled himself.
"Starting today, I'm going to be the first E-rank hunter to challenge the D-rank labyrinth 'Crimson Moon Depths.' This is my first broadcast and, well, it might be my last."
Behind Luke's laugh was a mixture of fear and determination. The viewer count in the corner of the screen read '0.' Seeing that number made Luke's chest tighten, but he knew he'd already crossed a river with no way back.
Now he had only two options left: die, or become a legend.