That morning, I sat at my desk staring at a laptop screen filled with emails about project reports. Some of the emails I hadn't even opened yet, and honestly, I was already too lazy to deal with any of it.
"Seriously, why am I still here?" I muttered, sipping coffee that tasted like sewer water.
I'd earned money from the rank B gate 32 million won plus a 5 billion bonus. I could buy a spacious apartment in Gangnam, chill out, play games, and then clean up gates for extra cash. Besides, this office job… it's just not exciting anymore.
I stood up, took a deep breath, and walked toward my boss's office. It was time to talk directly.
"Come in, Taemin," my boss called out from behind his desk before I even had a chance to knock. He must have checked the CCTV or something—who knows.
I opened the door and walked in with a blank expression. "Good morning, sir. I have something I need to discuss."
The boss raised an eyebrow and glanced at the stack of documents on his desk. "Now? I'm quite busy. You know how important the project we're working on is, right?"
I sat down without any small talk, not caring about the so-called "important project" he was talking about. "I'm quitting."
The boss looked up sharply, his expression like someone who'd just been slapped with a fan. "Quitting? Are you serious? You're one of the pillars of this team, Taemin! Do you understand how valuable you are to us?"
I nodded and gave a half-smile. "I know, sir. But my life is more valuable. I mean, why should I waste my time here when I can make more money just by cleaning up gates? It's not like we're living in a 'hard work is everything' era anymore, sir."
The boss looked even more stunned. "You can't just leave like that! We have big projects underway. Are you willing to abandon all of them?"
I sighed deeply. "Sir, think about it. Those projects… sure, they're important for the company. But for me? It feels like being a background character in an anime that never ends. Every day it's just revising reports, making proposals, while out there, I could be making billions by defeating monsters in gates. If I quit, someone else can take over."
The boss leaned back in his chair, trying to maintain his composure, but I could see the panic in his eyes. "Taemin, you don't understand how crucial your role is here. You know we just secured a major client. You're the key to this project's success!"
I nodded, pretending to be serious. "Wow, a key to success, huh? Like the protagonist of an anime. But sir, life isn't just about work. I want to live, not just live to work. And really, are those projects more important than my life? I don't think so."
"So, you're only thinking about yourself?"
I smiled. "Yep. Exactly. Selfish? Maybe. But sometimes being selfish is necessary, sir. Besides, who's going to care about my mental health if I stay stuck here until I'm old? I don't want to be the sidekick that the audience eventually forgets."
The boss leaned forward, clearly still in disbelief. "Do you think it'll be easier after you leave? You're leaving behind responsibilities, Taemin!"
I shrugged. "Responsibilities? More like burdens, sir. Think about it I'm able to earn more in a day than I do here in an entire month. Honestly, sir, I don't want to be trapped in an office with an inhuman workload. It's time I find a path that's more enjoyable."
The boss sighed, clearly running out of arguments. "You really don't care about your team, do you?"
I grinned, then leaned back in my chair. "Not that much, sir. I do care about them, though. But, you know… maybe with me gone, they can grow. It might even motivate them, right? They won't be relying on me forever."
The boss slammed his hand on the desk, making all the papers shake. "Taemin, I can't just let you leave like this!"
I stood up, adjusting my jacket. "Sir, if I keep working here, I'm the one who's going to explode. Don't worry, life goes on even if I leave. Besides, if I become way more successful, maybe I'll drop by again… just to remind myself why I didn't want to stay in an office job."
With that, I walked toward the door.
"Taemin, remember! If you walk out, you might never have a chance to come back!"
I paused for a second and smiled over my shoulder. "Sir, life's like an anime. Sometimes there's a season two, sometimes there's not. But I'm not counting on any sequels here at the office."
I stepped out, leaving my boss's protests behind. Outside the room, it felt like a thousand-ton weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I'd had enough of dealing with the corporate world. Now it was time to focus on cleaning up gates and… yeah, enjoying the life I chose.
After giving my dramatic farewell to my boss earlier that morning, I headed straight to the Hunter Association. The crisp autumn air stung my face, but my mind could only focus on one thing. "Damn, when will I get to relax?!" With 5 billion won in my pocket from that rank B gate yesterday, it felt like it was time to start living easy. But reality had other plans, and now I found myself in front of the Hunter Association building.
As soon as I walked into the entrance, a staff member greeted me with a formal smile. "Welcome, Taemin-ssi. How can I assist you?"
"Yeah, I need to request permission to enter another gate," I replied, handing over my hunter card.
The staff member checked the computer for a moment before looking at me with a bit of hesitation. "I'm sorry, but all the solo-able rank B gates have already been cleared. The remaining gates are for parties. Would you be interested in joining one?"
I let out a long sigh. "Party gate?" I glanced at the screen behind the staff showing the list of remaining gates. Rank A, rank S, and... "Rank B gate, party mode? Do I have to work with others?"
The staff member nodded with a polite smile. "That's correct. Right now, the Crimson Lotus guild is recruiting new candidates, and they'll be doing training inside a rank B gate. If you'd like to join, I can contact them."
"Ah, Crimson Lotus… them again," I muttered to myself. "Do I have to babysit new recruits again?" But, well, it's better than no action at all. "Okay, I'll join," I said, sounding bored.
The staff quickly made a call, and soon enough, I was directed to the briefing room to meet the members of Crimson Lotus. As I walked in, I could already feel the tense atmosphere. Dozens of young faces full of hope and anxiety surrounded Lee Hye Rin, who seemed to be explaining tactics to them.
Lee Hye Rin glanced at me and gave a faint smile. "Taemin-ssi, you're just in time. We're about to head out."
"Yep, all set. Can I just sit back though? Watch from a distance or something," I replied casually, stretching my shoulders.
Some of the candidates glanced at me with curious looks. They were probably thinking, "Who's this lazy-looking guy?" But whatever, it's not my problem.
"Maybe you could teach them something?" Hye Rin smiled wider this time, clearly hoping I'd help out the newbies.
"Eh, let me think... How do you teach people not to die? Oh yeah, don't die." I tilted my head, putting on a wise-guy face. "Remember, if you die, it's your fault. If you survive, well... it's just luck."
A small chuckle came from the corner of the room, while some of the newbies looked even more nervous. Hye Rin just sighed. "Seriously, Taemin. Help them."
"Okay, okay. I'll help, but only as a professional observer. I'm really good at watching people fight." I smirked, folding my arms.
One of the candidates, with a confused look on his face, asked, "Does that mean we could die in this gate?"
I glanced at him. "Oh, definitely. You could die in a really cool, dramatic way, or even in a really dumb way. Depends on how the monsters feel."
"Taemin-ssi!" Hye Rin's voice was sharp, making me raise my hands in mock surrender.
"Okay, okay, chill. I'm just joking. You won't die… if you're smart."
After the briefing filled with anxiety from the candidates, we finally entered the gate. I deliberately took a position at the back, far from the spotlight. Honestly, it was more that I didn't want to be bothered with the action.
"Why should I even bother joining in? Better to sit back and watch," I muttered, though loud enough for some people in front of me to hear and turn around.
"Taemin-ssi, shouldn't you be up front setting an example?" one of the hunters from Crimson Lotus called me out.
I shrugged. "Why should I? I prefer watching people fight. Who knows, I might get some free entertainment."
Hye Rin approached me with a serious expression. "If you just stand back and watch, you won't learn anything, Taemin."
"Hye Rin-ssi, I've already learned plenty in my life. Sometimes you have to know when it's time to fight, and when it's time to… just sit back."
Before she could reply, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the distance. "Well, the show's starting!" I exclaimed, preparing some imaginary popcorn in my hand.
The first monsters to appear were a group of orcs, wielding large axes and wearing ragged armor. The candidates immediately readied their weapons, while I leaned casually against a nearby tree. "Orcs, huh? Typical monsters. Nothing special about them."
One of the candidates shouted and charged forward, swinging his sword with trembling hands. I tilted my head, watching closely. "Alright, this should be interesting. Come on, bro. Don't die a stupid death on your debut fight."