The times have changed dramatically.
The act of tearing apart monsters and mercilessly eliminating ability criminals—those who once proudly boasted about such acts of force, the Hunters, have become a rare sight.
The new era of peace no longer desired such brutality.
If you flaunted your rough demeanor as a specialty, it became difficult to survive in society.
Now, with the frequency of monster appearances plummeting to rock bottom, jokes about Gates being urban legends have started to surface.
The profession of a Hunter has become almost indistinguishable from that of a celebrity or influencer.
The reason Hunters with power no longer flaunt overwhelming force to the public is simple.
Alongside the trend toward peace, they’ve come to realize something: as the frequency of Gate occurrences nears extinction, the abilities they possess are gradually deteriorating. The reality that their once formidable bodies are reverting to those of ordinary people.
Thus, the Hunters voluntarily changed. They lowered their once sky-high pride.
To maintain their reputation and fame, they started appearing on variety shows, shooting photo spreads, selling autobiographies, and even launching their own channels to upload videos.
An era has arrived where the Hunter Guild President, known for being stubborn, is now moonlighting as a trot singer.
Meanwhile, me.
As someone also in the Hunter profession, I was purely amazed by their actions.
There’s no reason to point fingers or criticize them for being shameless.
I first thought it was admirable how quickly they accepted reality and boldly ventured into new fields.
In the current state where the threat of monsters has disappeared and abilities are fading, only those who quickly accepted the plummeting value and status of Hunters could hold onto the wealth they’d accumulated.
The Hunters who abandoned their pride and fearlessly challenged new fields were simply the first to realize this fact.
But.
I, Irohan, was someone who sensed the future yet didn’t reach out to the rapidly changing tide.
I was still one of those Hunters contributing to maintaining public safety, as always.
**Ding!**
“Huh?”
As if urging me to throw myself into the swirling world, a message flew to me while I was off duty, glued to my computer.
[Hello. Hunter Irohan. This is Solomon, Director of Sunday Games.]
A familiar company name and a familiar nickname.
I shot up from my chair and grabbed my smartphone.
‘Sunday Games!?’
A company anyone even slightly into subculture games would know.
The company responsible for my leisure time while also emptying my wallet.
I rubbed my eyes and double-checked the official account mark several times at this sudden message.
[Every time Hunter Irohan mentions our games, all of us at Sunday Games listen intently. The informational posts you’ve written on our official website left me in awe…]
My eyes…
I rolled it and read the long message character by character, making sure to understand it clearly.
[To briefly explain the project ‘Salvation’ that we at Sunday Games want to achieve with Hunter Irohan…]
I realized it was real. At the same time, I let out a hollow laugh.
It feels like emotions I can’t easily express are mixed together, making me excited and heated.
“No, what is this…?”
Like a true Korean, I started with “No” and tried to sort through the unbelievable information again.
In conclusion, it all started when I posted on social media about enjoying Sunday Games’ ‘Abyss City.’
They came to me with a sweet proposal to create a new character based on me.
‘Me as a game character?’
Considering the company’s experience, they must know that collaborating with a real person is a risky event for a gacha game.
They must be aware of it.
But still, why? Why? Even if they do it, shouldn’t they call an idol instead?
‘Plus, there are plenty of pretty and handsome faces among the Hunters, so why me?’
Various speculations and assumptions bubbled up in my head like foam.
Who made this insane decision to use an unknown male Hunter as a model?
Moreover, isn’t this a game with more male players than female players? I can vividly imagine the situation where gamers would be like, “Who is this guy?” and “Another male character pickup?” while cursing up a storm.
‘But still!’
Even so!
What gamer could refuse an offer to become a character in a game they love?
No matter what the other party’s intentions are, it’s still a dizzyingly tempting offer, enough to make me want to dive in headfirst.
“Mm!”
I immediately sent a reply saying, “Please take good care of me.”
…
…
And so, how long has it been since I started collaborating with the game company?
Until today, I obediently followed what the game company employees told me to do.
Last week, I spent the whole day repeating sword-swinging motions in a strange outfit.
Today, I heard it was for filming a making-of video and an official broadcast interview.
‘Wow, I’ve really come this far.’
I wet my dry throat with coffee.
As I sat there fiddling with my smartphone while sipping through a straw, a voice called out.
“Hunter! We’re ready for filming!”
“Ah, coming!”
I squeezed through the cameras and sat down in an empty chair.
Next to me was the female host I only saw on Sunday Games’ official broadcasts, making my fan heart race.
“Even though it’s an interview, it’s nothing too grand. Just think of it as a casual chat and answer comfortably.”
“Got it. Please take good care of me.”
For someone like me who always tuned in to the update broadcasts, the current situation felt nothing short of magical.
Even more so than facing a top-tier Hunter.
The host straightened her back, flipped through the cue cards, and cleared her throat.
After seeing a signal from the camera, she whispered to me that we were starting, then smiled brightly and spoke in a cheerful voice.
“With the tension in Academy City reaching its peak! Many cadets are looking forward to the story ahead! The new winds and conflicts blowing into Academy City…!”
Her powerful voice, filled with emotion, continued.
The host flawlessly read through the script without a single mistake.
I sat next to her, nodding awkwardly and fidgeting with the microphone.
“First, I should introduce the special guest sitting next to me, right? Some of you may have already noticed…”
After finishing my introduction and more than a minute of monologue, the host…
Clearly signaled that they were about to ask a question by directing their gaze towards me.
“I have a personal question for Hunter Irohan! There’s a rumor that a Hunter’s dynamic vision never misses a parry against any boss. Is that true?”
“About that, it seems Hunters do have an advantage. When I play the actual game, I turn off all the assists and play that way.”
“Wow! Then you must have cleared all the combat achievements, right?”
“Well, not exactly. I only raise and play characters I’m attached to, so there are quite a few gaps.”
After exchanging a few words, I started to feel a bit less tense.
I felt it was thanks to the host’s gentle consideration.
After chatting back and forth…
A cue card flipped, and a new question came flying.
“In your opinion as a Hunter, what is the unique charm of Abyss City?”
I had thought about this question in advance after receiving the script the day before.
Thanks to that, my words flowed smoothly.
“Since I became a Hunter at a relatively young age, I didn’t get to attend school properly. It would be a lie to say I don’t have fantasies about my school days. I think the biggest charm for me is that it satisfies that longing.”
“Ah! Abyss City not only focuses on action but also pays attention to the warmth of everyday life!”
It’s a part that divides opinions among gamers.
I preferred the daily life parts like part-time jobs over combat.
“Yes. If there was a school just for Hunters, it might have been like this… I often think that. Plus, since I really like open worlds, just exploring the map is enjoyable.”
“Then…!”
After that, light Q&A that could be used in the video continued.
The host quickly exchanged glances with the camera and, contrary to my worries, sent a satisfied signal that this was the end.
“The pickup for ‘Rohan,’ modeled after Hunter Irohan, will run for a month starting June 2nd! And new stories and various quests will be updated, so please look forward to it!”
“Please take care of me!”
We stood up together, exchanged greetings, and ended with applause.
Seeing all the cameras pointing towards the ceiling, I exchanged greetings with the host as well.
“Hunter Irohan, you’ve worked hard!”
“You’ve worked hard.”
“You’ll definitely have to pull the character when it comes out, right?”
“I’ll max it out regardless of performance. The money I earned from this will probably be returned soon.”
She laughed as if she would have done the same.
After a short conversation, we made a sort-of promise to greet each other next time.
I moved to find the bag I had thrown in the corner.
‘Next is the voice recording, right?’
What skills and story will my character have?
Reflecting on the time and conversation so far, it feels real again.
My favorite game is releasing a character modeled after me.
Frankly, I didn’t even want the money. I wanted to pay for it myself.
‘What kind of luck is this?’
The epic MAD movie of my life that will be played at my funeral is confirmed.
‘I need to gather all the growth materials as soon as I get home.’
Imagining happily, I picked up the bag lying on the floor and straightened my back.
A female employee with a shiny ID card around her neck approached me with sparkling eyes.
“Hunter…”
“Mr. Turn! Mr. Hunter!”
“Yes.”
“Before we move, could you take this first?”
“What is this?”
What I received was a neat box with nothing written on the outside.
It was about the size of a box you’d get when buying a smartphone.
“The CEO is a huge fan of Hunter Irohan and wanted to give you a gift.”
A statement that made me doubt my ears.
I blinked and asked again.
“The CEO of Sunday Games…?”
“Yes! He really wanted to come today but was too busy, so I’m delivering it on his behalf. He was really disappointed he couldn’t make it!”
Is this some kind of lip service?
For some reason, I couldn’t easily react.
‘Isn’t the CEO Japanese?’
I froze with a puzzled expression.
She continued explaining in a light tone, as if she had just remembered something.
“I don’t know the details, but the CEO said he was once chased by a monster and you helped him. Where was it? Somewhere in Apgujeong, near a department store, I think?”
“!”
In an instant, the fog in my head cleared.
Irohan was briefly lost in the past.
‘Apgujeong.’
That’s where a massive gate opened, literally bringing hell to Earth.
I had gone there to evacuate and rescue civilians.
I clearly remember cutting through swarms of low-level monsters to enter the department store.
‘So that’s why he gave me this job…?’
There have been cases like this before.
Times when I was so busy running around that I couldn’t even remember the people I saved, but for them, it was their only lifeline.
I’ve received thank-you letters from people who considered me their lifesaver, but a gift this big was a first.
“Phew.”
I let out a long breath, feeling a sense of clarity as I processed the situation.
I looked at her and asked.
“Can I open it?”
“Of course.”
Click! Opening the box, a square card greeted me.
A familiar design for anyone who enjoys Abyss City.
I couldn’t stop the corners of my mouth from rising.
‘Is this my photo? I look so young.’
It wasn’t a photo, but the name confirmed it.
A student ID goodie for the character ‘Rohan,’ modeled after me, from Academy City.
It was the best gift.
I’ll have to thank him again.
With that thought, I looked up from the student ID.
“···?”
The woman who had been holding the employee ID was gone.
I wasn’t even in the filming set to begin with.
“Huh?”
A new world unfolded before my eyes.
