If you were to stop a passerby in Korea and ask them who Baek Yoonho is, you'd get a variety of answers.
"S-rank Hunter."
"Guild Master of the White Tiger Guild."
"Korea's best Beast Transformation Hunter."
But if you were to ask them what kind of person Baek Yoonho was, the answers would be surprisingly similar: A hero.
That's right. The head of a large guild? An S-rank Hunter? There were Hunters with such titles all over the world. But none of them fought as sincerely for the safety of the citizens as Baek Yoonho did. Hunters were always driven by money, and they all became rich because of it. Of course, such pragmatism wasn't a bad thing in this blatantly capitalist world. But even in such a world, it was only natural for a guild that genuinely stepped up to save citizens, sacrificing rational self-interest, to be praised by them. The recent villain incident was a prime example. The White Tiger Guild was the only one to dedicate themselves fully to a case that all other Hunters neglected, claiming it was a waste of time and wouldn't bring in any money. That was precisely why people respected Baek Yoonho. And so, Baek Yoonho was a hero, the pride of Korea, recognized by all its citizens.
However,
Baek Yoonho wasn't always seen this way. When he first awakened as a Hunter, the ability he gained was 'Beast Transformation.' A skill that allowed one to transform their body into a beast-like form and gain savage power. In the early days of the Cataclysm, people didn't look kindly upon Baek Yoonho, who possessed this skill. In fact, even Hunters with the lower-level skill that didn't fully transform them into beasts, faced cold stares. The reason was perfectly logical and understandable. It was terrifying! The ability to transform into a monster, just like the magical beasts pouring out of the Gates!
"Who knows when these hunters will suddenly become real monsters."
"With the appearance of Gates, are people gradually turning into monsters too?"
"What if they suddenly transform and attack us?"
"Shouldn't we execute them before that happens?"
"No, at least we should lock them up while they still have some humanity…"
At the time, countless concerns about Beast Transformation Hunters stirred up public opinion online. This trend continued until the Hunter Association was established, and Chairman Woo Jinchul publicly expressed his support for Beast Transformation Hunters. But even his words couldn't completely erase people's fears. Moreover, the problem was that even the Hunters themselves shared these concerns. Who could guarantee that they wouldn't lose control and transform into monsters? So they always felt ashamed of their abilities and lived in constant fear of losing their minds.
And Baek Yoonho was no exception. He had an exceptionally large physique and a fierce expression that made it seem like he could crush magic beasts with one hand. Because of his appearance, people always looked at him with a mix of fear and apprehension. But there was someone who gave Baek Yoonho courage during those times.
"Yoonho."
Baek Yoonho, who had lived his entire life as a firefighter until the Great Cataclysm, looked up. He saw his most respected senior, Chief Sung Il-hwan, standing there with a warm smile, his hand resting on Baek Yoonho's shoulder.
"...Yes, Chief." Baek Yoonho met Sung Il-hwan's eyes. The hand on his shoulder was rough with calluses from years of service.
A veteran. Or a master strategist. No matter how he was called, Chief Sung Il-hwan was an exceptional firefighter who always displayed an unparalleled presence at fire scenes. He looked at Baek Yoonho's face and offered advice in his usual calm and reliable voice.
"Nothing has changed, whether you've awakened or gained some ability. No matter what people say, you're still a firefighter, and my subordinate, Baek Yoonho. So just like you've always done... "
Chief Sung Il-hwan, his face smeared with soot, continued with a faint smile. "Save people."
At those words, Baek Yoonho felt like he was struck by lightning. Truthfully, anyone could say something like that. But who was the one talking?! It was Chief Sung Il-hwan, who had dedicated his life to saving people for decades! It was coming from the mouth of someone who had lived by those very words. And Baek Yoonho had witnessed it all from up close.
No further words were needed between them.
"You're a firefighter, aren't you?" Looking into Chief Sung Il-hwan's smiling eyes, a confident smile finally appeared on Baek Yoonho's face.
And on that very day. A hero was born in Korea.
S-rank Hunter Baek Yoonho. He immediately went to the most famous guild in Korea, the Grim Reapers, and started tearing apart magical beasts on the front lines, utilizing his Beast Transformation skill. Even his fellow guild members feared his intense and terrifying power.
'It doesn't matter.' Baek Yoonho didn't care. Wasting time worrying about such gazes was pointless when tearing apart one more magical beast right in front of him meant saving more people.
'Just save people.' And that was the most important lesson he had learned from following and watching Chief Sung Il-hwan for decades. It all happened just two years ago. And then, last year…
In just one year, Baek Yoonho gained immense fame for his remarkable achievements and established his own guild. But his actions weren't driven by money. Quite the opposite. His beliefs clashed with the Reaper guild leader, who, like other Hunter guilds at the time, pursued only profit. Baek Yoonho gathered all the Beast Transformation Hunters in Korea who were still struggling with prejudice and founded the 'White Tiger Guild,' dedicated to rescuing citizens.
The reason he went to such lengths? It was simple.
"You're a firefighter, aren't you?" The last words he heard from Chief Sung Il-hwan. That calm and profound voice was still deeply engraved in Baek Yoonho's heart.
* * *
"...Sob! So, hiccup! Chief Sung Il-hwan told me, hiccup, that I'm a firefighter...! Sob!"
"I know, I know, so please..."
"Dad, stop crying. The guild members are watching. And please blow your nose."
"Sniff!" Baek Yoonho, deeply engrossed in his nostalgic story, took the tissue Baek Miho handed him and blew his nose loudly.
But seeing the tears still streaming down his face Baek Miho sighed softly and handed him the entire roll of tissues. Then, with a genuine expression, she apologized to Suho.
"I am sorry, Hunter Sung Suho. My father's getting older and more emotional these days."
"Yeah, I understand." Suho wore a bewildered expression. The contrast between Baek Yoonho's charismatic entrance and his current state of tears and snot was too jarring. On the other hand, it was also intriguing.
'What a coincidence. I never imagined my grandfather would know Hunter Baek Yoonho.'
Suho knew that his grandfather, Sung Il-hwan, had worked as a firefighter his entire life before retiring. But naturally, he didn't know all of his grandfather's former colleagues. To think that the famous Baek Yoonho was his grandfather's subordinate. While Suho found it fascinating, for Baek Yoonho, this revelation was a significant matter.
Sniff!
"Ahem. S-Suho?" Baek Yoonho, after blowing his nose vigorously once again, approached Suho hesitantly. His tone was completely different from before, as cautious as if handling a fragile glass ornament.
"Ahem. It seems there was a slight misunderstanding between us earlier. Surely, Chief Sung Il-hwan's grandson wouldn't stray down the wrong path. Of course, of course." Baek Yoonho knew better than anyone about Chief Sung Il-hwan's character. He himself had been inspired to dedicate his life to saving others after just a few conversations with him.
'His grandson would never go astray. I was mistaken earlier. Of course, of course.' With that thought in mind, Baek Yoonho glanced at Suho and spoke.
"S-so, you wouldn't tell your grandfather about this minor incident, would you...?"
"Ah! Come to think of it, I haven't called my grandfather in a while!"
"Oh my! Wait! Calm down!" Baek Yoonho panicked as Suho suddenly took out his phone. But no matter how surprised he was, he didn't try to snatch the phone from Suho's hand by force. Instead, he hovered around Suho, sweating profusely and trying not to even touch a single hair on his head.
"Tsk…" Seeing this, Suho gave a mischievous smile and put his phone back down.
"Haaa..." Baek Yoonho let out a sigh of relief, his face almost lifeless, and Suho's smile grew even wider.
'This worked out well. To think the great Baek Yoonho would owe me favor'
Having to face Itarim's apostles in the future, the more powerful allies he had, the better. He had become close friends with Thomas Andre, but since he was active in the US, it would be difficult to get help from him in urgent situations. Suho briefly organized his thoughts on how to 'handle' Baek Yoonho and finally made a decision.
"Guild Master Baek Yoonho, don't worry, I won't contact my grandfather about this."
"R-really? Hahaha! I knew it! You take after your grandfather, with such a generous personality!"
"But I have a favor to ask."
"Hmm? A favor?" Baek Yoonho, who had been greatly relieved, grew anxious again at Suho's condition. But surprisingly, Suho's request was quite reasonable.
"Could you find Hwang Dongsoo for me? He still hasn't shown up here, so I think I'll have to search for him myself."
"...Find Hwang Dongsoo?" Baek Yoonho's expression hardened at those words.
"Why are you looking for Hwang Dongsoo?"
"Does a bounty hunter need a specific reason to catch a villain?" With that answer, Suho presented his 'Association-certified bounty hunter' license.
"...I see." Baek Yoonho nodded in understanding after checking the license issued by the Association. But he still felt uneasy.
"We were planning to find Hwang Dongsoo anyway, so leave it to us. But I have one question."
Baek Yoonho's eyes were now filled with suspicion, just like before Sung Il-hwan's name came up. Saying he would catch Hwang Dongsoo meant he was confident in facing even an S-rank villain himself. If that were true, why would he hide such power and act as a C-rank Hunter?
"If you find Hwang Dongsoo, will you handle him alone?" At his direct question, Suho tilted his head as if he didn't understand.
"I'd be happy if you killed him yourself. It's only right for an S-rank Hunter to take care of an S-rank villain, right?"
"Ah, so that's what you meant." Baek Yoonho finally dropped his suspicion. But Suho's next words made his eyes widen again.
"But please leave Hwang Dongsoo's body intact."
"...Huh? Why the body?"
"Oh, I want to see the body. Just for a brief moment."
"...?"
'Chief Sung Il-hwan. Just what kind of grandson did you raise?' Baek Yoonho thought he should give his chief a call after a long time.
[Beloved Grandson ♥] The profile picture of the chief, enjoying his retirement, was filled with love for his grandson. That made it even more confusing.