Mid-January. On a day when the icy wind still hadn’t subsided. In Gangnam, the Workshop Road was still blanketed in relentless snowfall. It had been 30 years since the war with monsters began. Even late at night, the ruins of Workshop Road were filled with the clanging of metal and the roaring of welding.
“Here, this fits, right?”
“Yes. Auntie~ Thank you as always.”
“We should be thanking you for closing the gates.”
B-Rank Hunter Kim Seo-jeong stepped outside the shop. It was late. The snowflakes were rough, carrying moisture. Running in this would be too harsh.
‘I should find a motel nearby.’
Kim Seo-jeong cooled the equipment she had just received in the cold wind.
It’s no wonder it’s called the “Hunter’s Essential Course.” It meets all the needs of the Awakened.
Supplies.
Services.
Information.
Manpower.
You could say it has everything you could think of.
And the biggest industry among them?
“Ugh, all the men are gone today.”
“It’s New Year’s, idiot. Who’d come?”
Prostitution.
The oldest industry in human history.
Kim Seo-jeong paused in front of a brothel. The sleazy neon signs and vulgar flyers caught her eye.
A place for female Awakened to relieve their desires. Kim Seo-jeong had used it a few times herself.
“Let’s see.”
She rummaged through her pockets.
She wanted to relieve her pent-up desires, even if just for a night. Lately, it had been building up, making her body feel heavy.
‘Tch, not enough.’
She clicked her tongue.
A crumpled 10,000-won bill, a few 1,000-won bills, and some 100-won coins.
The leftover change after repairing her equipment.
Not even enough for a night’s stay. Her body was burning up. Reluctantly, Kim Seo-jeong let out a sigh.
She felt like she’d die if she stayed like this.
There was a limit to how much she could comfort herself.
“This is the last time, the last time.”
Kim Seo-jeong looked around and took a deep breath.
[Kim Seo-jeong activates her trait, ‘Tracking.’]
[Locating nearby males.]
Workshop Road was hard to control, with Awakened gathered in one place, so public safety was unreliable.
Especially since there were often poor or desperate people who, despite being ordinary, took up hunting. Kim Seo-jeong targeted them.
She smelled it.
The scent.
Kim Seo-jeong was drawn to the smell. It was a delicious aroma. Her body was heavy with desire.
“What are you doing out so late~?”
Kim Seo-jeong quickly navigated the back alleys. Her job as an [Assassin] made her agile.
“Did something just pass by?”
“Must’ve been the wind.”
She swiftly avoided people.
Jumped over iron fences.
Climbed walls and leaped!
She followed the man’s scent. Kim Seo-jeong had her reasons.
‘That virgin scent is strong. Heh.’
She wiped the drool from her mouth.
It had been weeks.
Since she last held a man.
Awakened had a sex drive thousands of times stronger.
There was no scientific basis, but nights were often less satisfying than before Awakening. Sometimes, it wasn’t satisfied at all. There was some logic to it.
For poor Hunters with no money, options for relieving their desires were limited.
If they talked back?
A shame, but she’d kill them.
Ordinary people couldn’t overpower Awakened with strength.
“Here.”
Thud.
Kim Seo-jeong landed on the sidewalk. The scent was strong. He was nearby.
She twirled the dagger on her finger and walked toward the source of the scent.
A graceful and seductive approach. To seduce a man, you had to use such methods.
“What are you doing there?”
“……”
Kim Seo-jeong peeked out.
It was a man.
Slightly taller than her. Hmm, not bad. The bigger they are, the better they feel to hold.
Kim Seo-jeong asked again.
“Hey~?”
“……”
The man in the distance remained silent.
Kim Seo-jeong stretched her neck. Ignoring her, huh?
She checked his face first. She didn’t want to waste her time.
Last time, she caught a B-Rank and a C-Rank man back-to-back and used them once before discarding them.
That time, she didn’t sleep well. Kim Seo-jeong stealthily approached with the dagger she had just bought from the workshop.
The man was scribbling something under a flickering streetlight.
Hmm, diligent?
Maybe an office worker.
No matter. Once a man gets it up, he won’t stop until he’s satisfied. Especially if he’s under an Awakened.
“Hey, little brother~ Big sister’s having a tough day, can you help me out a bit… Uh, uh-uh.”
As Kim Seo-jeong brushed her hand over the man’s shoulder.
Something felt off.
A strange sense of hostility. Kim Seo-jeong pressed the dagger to the man’s neck.
[Kim Seo-jeong senses danger.]
Dangerous.
This man was truly…
Her body slumped under the overwhelming pressure.
She couldn’t even muster her strength. Should she run? She hadn’t seen his face anyway.
But it was a shame. This delicious scent was a first.
“Y-you’re not human─”
The man twisted his body. Kim Seo-jeong couldn’t finish her sentence.
His face was clean. But his eyes were dead. Like a frozen fish.
A strange collar hung around his neck. Like a shackle.
His appearance was at least A-Rank.
Maybe even S.
Top quality.
But he wasn’t human. Kim Seo-jeong was sure. Her instincts were never wrong.
“Damn it!”
Kim Seo-jeong plunged the dagger deep into the man’s neck.
Black blood gushed out violently.
The high-quality equipment, worth millions, had excellent cutting power. Kim Seo-jeong used [Shadow Step] to retreat to the rear.
Smoke filled the air as the new model was pushed back.
Kim Seo-jeong caught her breath. What should she do? She needed backup. It was too much for one Assassin to handle.
‘Was he an Awakened?’
Now she could feel it.
The dangerous scent.
Kim Seo-jeong tried to escape.
“Uh.”
Her legs wouldn’t move.
It was as if they were stuck, showing no sign of moving.
She looked down. White threads deeply embedded in the ground. Sticky like spider webs, strong like steel wires.
It hurt. As if they had pierced her bones.
As Kim Seo-jeong tried to speak,
Thunk!
A thread sewed her mouth shut.
“Mmmph, mmph!”
“This harvest isn’t satisfying either. Right?”
[‘???’ strengthens ‘Thread Weaving.’]
[Kim Seo-jeong’s movement is blocked.]
“Think about it. Not as solid as that man, not as strong. And since she’s a woman, she can’t even lure others.”
“Kekekek.”
“Right. Useless. But what can we do? We have to make do.”
[‘Beauty Doll’ nods its head.]
“Go. We still need more.”
Kim Seo-jeong looked at the approaching new model with fear-filled eyes. The dagger. She quickly slashed at the new model with the dagger in her hand.
“Your body isn’t bad. B- level? I’ll make good use of you.”
The late-night hours were usually her time.
But not anymore.
Kim Seo-jeong closed her eyes as she heard the voice piercing her mind.
* * *
The morning Workshop Road was always bustling.
Materials being moved and countless people. Hunters roamed around, their voices always lively.
“Yes, you may pass.”
“Thank you.”
Lee Seong-han, who had just left the university hospital, passed through the checkpoint and entered Workshop Road.
With frequent sexual crimes by Awakened, security forces were stationed permanently, but inside Workshop Road, you were on your own.
So, many men hired bodyguards. Of course, those bodyguards were Hunters too.
“Welcome. How may I help you?”
“Could I get a guide template, please?”
“One moment. While you wait, how about chatting with the bodyguards? First-time visitors get a 50% discount.”
At the entrance, several women were lined up in the information office.
Lee Seong-han scanned them. At least F-Rank to B-Rank Awakened. It wasn’t hard to tell since their status windows were visible.
“Oppa, are you a Hunter too?”
“Oh my~ You’re handsome. How about going somewhere with us?”
“No, thanks.”
Lee Seong-han, who had come with romance in mind, calmly ignored them. He was here to order some equipment. Bodyguards? He didn’t need them.
His ideal scenario was this:
Awesome veteran craftsmen!
“Hehehe. Our workshop has been operating for 30 years with the best! Since you’re a young friend, we’ll give you a good deal.”
Old-timers who wanted to pounce on newbies.
“Oh, a fresh newbie Hunter.”
“Hahaha, come here! Take my item!”
Quality service.
“Ah! Hunter-nim, hello! We have a new request, shall we prepare it for you?!”
Surely, the imagined Workshop Road was like this. That’s what the internet said.
…
…
…
Reality was too cruel.
Horny craftsmen.
“You! If you sleep with me once, I’ll give you a 10% discount.”
“What.”
“Damn it, tempting me like that. Fine, 20% discount!”
Old-timers who wanted to pounce on newbies.
“Oh, a fresh newbie Hunter.”
“Hahaha, come here! Take my item!”
Service? What’s that?
“Hunter-nim. If you sleep with me once, I won’t disappoint you. Huh? If you want… I’ll even throw myself in. Hehehe.”
“Kyaaaah! Sexual predator!”
Lee Seong-han crouched in an alley of Workshop Road. He had almost been caught just now.
“Are you a porter?”
“These days, porters have such nice muscles. Slurp.”
“Now, now, first take off your clothes─”
Being dragged into a Hunter party by mistake. And it was 100% women. That was the worst. A truckload of people had entered gates and never returned.
Lee Seong-han’s head hurt.
This place is too scary.
This Workshop Road.
Three days and nights of searching had been in vain. The internet definitely didn’t have this kind of content. He had been confident.
‘Friendly to men, and the equipment is delicious!’ That’s what it said everywhere.
Merchants, pedestrians, and Hunters passing by looked at him and licked their lips with sticky sounds.
“Sir.”
Kang Mi-young, wearing a trench coat, let out a deep sigh.
“On behalf of women, I apologize. I’m sorry. Not all women are horny and obsessed with men.”
“I know.”
“Still, you followed me well. You spent three days and nights gathering information, only to miss the mark.”
Kang Mi-young pulled up her scarf, embarrassed. Her face was almost completely hidden.
Actually, Lee Seong-han thought it would end quickly. He knew a few good workshops. Had many connections.
But 90% of the workshops he found were already in the process of closing down.
The remaining 10% had disappeared, with “Vacant” signs plastered on the windows.
‘Where do I get a dagger now?’
Lee Seong-han glanced at his dagger. He wished it could be repaired, but craftsmen were always proud.
Equipment they didn’t make themselves?
It was like hugging another woman. They felt an instinctive rejection. Kang Mi-young sat down next to Lee Seong-han.
Then, a subtle sense of rejection caught her nose. She frowned.
‘What is this stench… Could it be?’
Lee Seong-han could read Kang Mi-young’s change.
“What is it?”
Then, a quest window popped up.
[『Emergency Quest: Doll Play』]
[Non-human entities are circling around you. They are moving to subdue you. Be cautious. Survive.]
[This quest requires ‘Kang Mi-young.’]
“Huh. I’m screwed.”
Lee Seong-han let out a sigh in a bright tone.
Dolls?
Clearly, it was that b*tch.
Hong Seo-min. Former S-Rank Hunter. Already wanted by the government and stripped of her title. As Lee Seong-han clicked his tongue.
Kang Mi-young stared at Lee Seong-han.
“Sir.”
“Yes, Major.”
“Are you… human?”
Kang Mi-young’s eyes turned red.
“I am human.”
[Kang Mi-young activates the skill ‘Insight’ on you.]
– Your statement is…
A brief pause.
-Error. Unknown.
What.
“Sir. If you’re really Lee Seong-han. Stay still. I don’t want to tear your limbs apart.”
Kang Mi-young put more strength into her grip and climbed on top of him.
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")
