The Forsaken Awakening

The warmth of home should have been comforting. The scent of his mother's cooking, the chatter of his siblings, the quiet presence of his father—all of it should have made him feel safe.

But Jinhyuk couldn't shake the unease in his chest.

The golden eyes from the dungeon core haunted him.

> "You saw beyond. And now… others will come for you."

He forced himself to eat, nodding at his mother's questions and chuckling at Jinhwan's jokes. But Jinhee was watching him. Too closely.

After dinner, she pulled him aside.

"You're hiding something."

Jinhyuk hesitated. "It was just a tough hunt."

Jinhee narrowed her eyes. "You're a terrible liar, hyung."

Before she could press further, Jinhwan poked his head in. "Hyung, your phone's ringing!"

Jinhyuk sighed in relief, grabbing his phone. The number was unfamiliar.

"Hello?"

A calm, authoritative voice answered.

"Jin Jinhyuk. This is the Department of Hunter Regulations. We need to talk."

---

New Faces and New Dangers

Jinhyuk arrived at a DHR field office the next morning. The building was plain, overlooked by most civilians. But every hunter knew—this was where regulations were enforced.

Inside, a man in a dark suit waited for him.

He looked mid-30s, sharp-eyed, and completely unreadable. His suit was perfectly pressed, and a DHR badge gleamed on his chest.

"Jin Jinhyuk?"

Jinhyuk nodded. "And you are?"

The man extended a hand.

"Chief Investigator Lee Taesung."

> DHR's top investigator? Why is someone this high-ranked interested in me?

Taesung gestured for him to sit. "You recently participated in a D-Class dungeon raid. There was an… anomaly."

Jinhyuk's pulse quickened. "What do you mean?"

Taesung studied him. "The dungeon collapsed. No core. No remains. That is not how gates function, Jin Jinhyuk."

Jinhyuk stayed silent.

"Your leader, Kang Jisoo, gave a vague report. But I believe you know more than you're saying."

Jinhyuk met his gaze. "And if I do?"

Taesung leaned forward.

"Then you're not the only one watching that gate."

---

A Shadow Over Seoul

Jinhyuk left the DHR office, his mind racing.

> The DHR knows something is wrong with the gates. But they're not the only ones watching…

As he walked down the street, a woman's voice called out.

"Jin Jinhyuk?"

He turned.

A young woman in her early 20s stood before him. Long black hair, piercing green eyes, and a confident smirk.

She wore a sleek combat suit—something only higher-ranked hunters could afford. A hunter ID gleamed on her chest:

[A-Rank Hunter – Cha Minji]

Jinhyuk froze.

A-Rank hunters were rare. For one to seek him out…

Minji crossed her arms. "You're weaker than I expected."

Jinhyuk scowled. "Excuse me?"

She grinned. "Relax. I'm not here to fight."

She tossed him a small card.

"Come to this address. You might want to hear what we have to say."

Jinhyuk caught the card, glancing down.

No name. Just a symbol—a black wolf's head.

When he looked up, Minji was already walking away.

> Who is she? And why do I feel like I just got involved in something big?

---

Jinhyuk stared at the card in his hand.

> A black wolf's head. No name. No contact information—just an address.

The symbol felt familiar, but he couldn't place it.

Jinhwan's voice suddenly snapped him back to reality.

"Hyung, what's that?"

Jinhyuk quickly pocketed the card. "Nothing. Just some guild nonsense."

Jinhwan smirked. "Ooooh, is a guild scouting you?"

Jinhyuk ruffled his hair. "In your dreams, kid."

Jinhee, standing nearby, didn't look convinced. Her sharp eyes studied him, but she didn't press.

> She knows I'm hiding something. I'll have to be careful.

That night, as his family slept, Jinhyuk made his decision.

> I need answers.

So, he grabbed his jacket and headed out into the night.

---

The Meeting

The address led him to a hidden bar in an alleyway in Gangnam. From the outside, it looked abandoned. But as soon as he stepped inside, the atmosphere changed.

Dim lights. The faint scent of alcohol and gunpowder. And more importantly—hunters.

Not just any hunters.

High-rankers.

Jinhyuk could feel it—the sheer pressure of stronger individuals in the room. Conversations paused as some of them glanced his way.

> Why do I feel like I just walked into a den of wolves?

A voice called out from the back.

"You came."

Jinhyuk turned to see Cha Minji, now leaning casually against the bar.

She gestured to an empty seat. "Drink?"

Jinhyuk hesitated. "I don't drink."

Minji laughed. "Good. That means you think before you act."

He sat down, feeling more tense than ever.

"So," he said, trying to keep his voice steady, "who are you?"

Minji smirked. "A hunter, just like you."

Jinhyuk scoffed. "Yeah, an A-Rank hunter. That's not 'just like me.'"

Minji leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Fair enough. I'm part of a group that keeps an eye on… special cases."

Jinhyuk frowned. "Special cases?"

"Like dungeons collapsing without a trace. Like hunters who shouldn't survive but do. Like…"—her eyes flickered with something unreadable—"people who gain abilities they shouldn't have."

Jinhyuk's blood ran cold.

> She knows.

Minji smiled. "Relax. I'm not here to turn you in."

Jinhyuk forced himself to stay calm. "Then what do you want?"

Minji leaned back. "Information. Maybe even cooperation. But first, I need to know something."

She pulled out a photo and slid it across the table.

Jinhyuk looked down—and froze.

The man in the photo had wild silver hair and dark red eyes.

Jinhyuk didn't recognize him.

But something inside him did.

A flicker of pain shot through his head—a memory that wasn't his.

> "A shadow watches you."

Jinhyuk swallowed. "Who is this?"

Minji's smirk disappeared.

"This," she said, "is the missing S-Class hunter. And we think he's looking for you."