Beep— Beep—
Siwoo Lee reached out and turned off the alarm.
"Ugh... Ahh!"
Stretching his arms wide, he let out a deep yawn before getting out of bed. He walked to the window and pulled back the curtains, but the world outside was still shrouded in darkness.
It was only 5 AM.
It wasn't as if he had gone to bed early either. After having dinner with his family, they spent a long time chatting over tea. Later, he retreated to his room to organize his plans for the future, only lying down around midnight.
Even with just five hours of sleep, Siwoo felt oddly refreshed, as if he had gotten a full eight hours.
'Is it because I quit my job?'
He shook his head. That alone wouldn't explain why his body suddenly felt so light.
Could it be…?
He knew that awakened Hunters were generally healthier than regular people, but noticeable physical enhancements were usually reserved for those ranked B or higher. As an E-rank Hunter—freshly awakened just yesterday—he shouldn't be feeling any significant changes yet.
'Must be my imagination.'
No need to overthink it. Either way, his body had changed, even if just a little.
With that thought, Siwoo slipped off his pajamas and changed into workout clothes. Throwing on a light jacket, he stepped outside.
A frigid January wind whipped against him as if trying to discourage his morning run.
"Brr!"
Shivering, Siwoo stretched his limbs, refusing to let the cold deter him. He jogged lightly down the stairs and stepped onto the quiet streets.
After warming up his arms and legs to prevent injuries, he gradually picked up the pace, running through the neighborhood.
The cold winter air was sharp against his skin.
'This isn't freezing wind. This is a refreshing breeze!'
Mind over matter. If he told himself it was true, it might as well be.
As he ran, a quote from an old movie surfaced in his mind:
[Today is the first day of the rest of my life.]
That thought sent a thrill through him.
He had quit his job. A new chapter awaited him.
How exciting was that?
'Yeah. This is just the beginning!'
Pushing himself harder, Siwoo visualized his future like a blank canvas, ready to be filled with new experiences.
By the time he finished a lap around the neighborhood and arrived at the dojo, it was 5:40 AM.
"Huff... Huff..."
Catching his breath, he realized how out of shape he was.
'I didn't run that far…'
Two years of neglecting exercise due to work had taken its toll.
'So being a Hunter doesn't automatically make me fit, huh?'
Of course not. He was only an E-rank Hunter, after all. Getting cocky just because he felt refreshed this morning had been a mistake.
'Gotta build my stamina.'
A Hunter's strength relied on physical endurance. The better his conditioning on Earth, the more power he could wield inside the gates. That's why he had to start training seriously—starting today.
Taking a deep breath, he reached for his keys and unlocked the dojo. It had been a while since he last picked up a bamboo sword, and he was eager to get back into it.
But just as he stepped inside—
"Hm?"
In the dimly lit dojo, a familiar figure sat in a meditative posture.
His father.
"Dad?"
At the sound of his voice, Jin-ho Lee slowly opened his eyes.
"You took your sweet time running. Hurry up and get changed."
"I thought the early morning class was canceled ages ago?"
"You woke up and went out to train, didn't you? That means from now on, you're the only student in our dojo's morning class."
Classic Dad.
Jin-ho had anticipated Siwoo's morning workout and was already prepared to guide him.
And he wasn't alone.
The door to the changing room swung open, revealing another familiar face.
"Ugh, I thought you'd never show up, Oppa. I was waiting forever."
It was his younger sister, Siyeon Lee, already dressed in her training uniform.
"What? You're training this early too?"
"Duh. How else am I supposed to help you improve?"
"Don't you have evening classes?"
"Of course. If I don't show up, the office workers in the night class wouldn't be motivated to come. Let's be honest—they're more drawn to my looks than Dad's skills."
"Cough!"
Jin-ho cleared his throat awkwardly. He wanted to object, but…
'Well, she's not wrong.'
Rather than argue with his daughter, he turned to his son instead.
"What are you waiting for? Get changed!"
"Ugh, fine! Why are you yelling at me but not Siyeon?"
"I-I wasn't yelling! Ahem."
Siwoo smirked. His father could never scold his sister properly.
'Our family dynamics haven't changed a bit.'
Minutes later, the siblings faced off in a sparring match.
"Head! Head! Waist!"
Clack! Smack! Crack!
"Come on, Oppa! Focus!"
"Ugh! Argh! Ow!"
Siwoo had underestimated her. Two years ago, he was clearly the stronger one. But now…
Thud.
"Oppa! Get up! Your stamina is pathetic!"
It wasn't just skill. His endurance had plummeted.
'Damn it. Two years of corporate life turned me into this?'
Countless nights of drinking with clients, endless overtime, and a life drained of energy—no wonder he had fallen behind. Meanwhile, Siyeon had trained consistently every day. Of course, there was a gap.
No shortcut beats consistency.
"Oppa, we need to build your stamina first. Let's focus on that."
Seeing the concern on Siyeon's face, Siwoo nodded.
"Yeah. You're right."
No need to feel discouraged. Now, he knew where he stood.
And from here, he'd climb back up.
'Alright. Give me some time, and I'll surpass you and Dad.'
His competitive fire reignited.
—
After breakfast, he sat at his desk, reviewing his plans.
Pulling out a map of South Korea marked with active gates, he focused on his next steps.
First, he needed to divert Kang Myung-jun's attention.
Second, he needed to make money. Fast. Now that he had quit his job, providing for his family had become top priority.
Just as he finished analyzing the documents—
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
Expected.
Siwoo grabbed a piece of paper and some tape before heading downstairs.
When he opened the door, a man in a suit greeted him with a polite bow.
"Good morning. I'm Nam Il-man, recruitment director for Chunwoo Guild."
Chunwoo Guild—ranked third in Korea.
A major guild was scouting him.
Siwoo, however, remained composed. He had anticipated this.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Siwoo Lee."
Seeing his calm demeanor, Nam Il-man looked momentarily flustered before quickly regaining his composure.
"I'd like to discuss something with you."
'Of course you would.'
The world's first double-title Hunter was born in Korea—how could the guilds not come running?
Siwoo nodded.
"There's a café nearby. Let's talk there."
And so, the negotiations began.