In the boss room, filled with a blue crystal glow, I stood amidst the other Hunters. The massive body of the defeated Demon Knight lay lifeless on the ground.
I tried to keep my composure, hiding the fact that I had been scared out of my mind just moments ago. If they knew I'd nearly freaked out, I'd be so embarrassed…
Suddenly, a Hunter approached me with a serious and respectful expression.
"Do-yun-ssi, since you led us through this battle, I believe you should have the first choice of items."
I struggled to keep a calm face as I shook my head slightly. Geez... Don't give me this kind of responsibility! I don't even know how to wield a sword! But, of course, I just said.
"No need. You all go ahead and pick first. You worked hard, too."
The Hunters fell silent, then nodded respectfully. Beneath my calm exterior, I was panicking. Do they think I'm some sort of saintly Hunter who doesn't care about loot? I just don't know what's good!
They began whispering about how "wise" and "generous" I was. I forced a thin smile, desperately trying to find a way to steer the conversation elsewhere.
Then, I spotted a small silver sword lying on the ground. Might be handy to have… even though I don't know how to use it. I picked up the sword, and suddenly... it glowed with a blinding light!
The Hunters' eyes widened in awe.
"Do-yun-ssi, you've discovered a hidden rare weapon!"
Huh? A rare weapon? I just grabbed something random! I held my breath and nodded slowly, trying to look dignified.
"Oh, is that so? Just a coincidence," I replied in a calm tone.
The Hunters seemed even more convinced that I was a Hunter with sharp instincts. Oh, geez... What kind of luck is this? I could only manage a tense smile, secretly hoping they'd quickly forget about this magic sword incident.
As they gathered their items, we headed toward the Gate's exit. I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Finally, I can get out of here and go home to watch some drama…
However, a Rank B Hunter suddenly approached and whispered, "Do-yun-ssi, is there anything unusual you noticed around here?"
I frowned, puzzled.
"Oh… uh, we might want to be cautious. Who knows if there's... a final trap?"
The Hunter's eyes sparkled. "Wow, understood! We'll be careful!"
I held my breath, barely believing myself. Oh no, is there really a trap? I was just making it up!
The other Hunters quickly moved ahead, checking the area around the exit. After a few minutes, one of them shouted.
"Do-yun-ssi, you were right! There's a hidden trap here!"
I could only smile, trying to look wise while inwardly panicking. If this keeps up, they're going to think I'm some extraordinary Hunter!
Once the trap was disarmed, we finally stepped out of the Gate. Fresh air greeted us, and I let out a sigh of relief. The Hunters were arranging their loot, but their gazes never left me.
"Thank you, Do-yun-ssi. You're truly amazing! Without your guidance, we might have been trapped inside," one of the Hunters said.
I nodded slightly, trying to hide my nervous smile. Do I really look that impressive to them? If only they knew this was all pure luck, they'd probably stop trusting me!
As we headed toward the Hunters' vehicle, a Rank A Hunter approached with a serious expression.
"Do-yun-ssi, do you have any suggestions for our next mission? We're really relying on your keen insight."
I tried to look composed and think quickly. Me? Suggestions? I just want to go home and never come back here again, dammit…
"Hmm... maybe we could start with a deeper analysis of Gate appearance patterns," I said softly, trying to sound smart.
The Hunters nodded with conviction. I was getting more and more confused. Do they really believe what I'm saying? I should've used this chance to say I need a long vacation…
Once everything was ready, our vehicle began to move, leaving the Gate behind us. I watched the scenery pass by with mixed feelings.
This luck keeps trapping me in their misunderstandings. I'm just a regular guy, but they think I'm some kind of extraordinary person.
Carefully, I took a deep breath. Hopefully, they won't realize the truth anytime soon. Or… maybe I just need this luck to never run out. I tried to stay calm, though inside I wanted to laugh at the irony of the whole situation.
When we arrived in front of the Korea Guild building, our vehicle came to a stop. The Hunters stepped out one by one, carrying the items we'd gathered from the Gate. I tried to stay low-profile, but as usual, all eyes were on me.
As we entered, a guild staff member greeted us warmly. He examined the items we brought back and nodded approvingly.
"It seems this mission went smoothly. Glad to see everyone return safely." He looked at me briefly, then smiled wider. "And Do-yun-ssi, thank you for leading the mission so well."
I gave a stiff smile, trying to look polite. Why is everyone always thanking me? I just followed along in the back! Of course, I only gave a small nod.
"Oh, it was nothing. I just did my best and got lucky; that's my responsibility, after all."
The other Hunters looked at me, puzzled.
"Once again, Do-yun-ssi says he was just lucky. But he's clearly the one who saved all of us!" a Rank B Hunter said enthusiastically.
Why do they love misunderstanding so much? I smiled, holding back an inward, bitter laugh.
"Ah, you're all giving me too much credit," I replied briefly, trying to end the conversation quickly.
But fate seemed to have other plans. The guild staff who was checking our loot suddenly picked up one item the small silver sword I found earlier. His expression instantly turned to one of admiration, and he spoke up.
"This… this is a rare silver sword that's been missing from the guild's collection for years! Who found it?"
Every gaze in the room shifted to me. I swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. Oh no… Why are they all looking at me like that? I forced a nervous smile and tried to explain.
"Um… it was just luck; I happened to find it."
Another Hunter immediately chimed in with enthusiasm.
"See? Not only does Do-yun-ssi have extraordinary instincts for choosing paths, but he also has the luck to find rare items! It must be the result of years of experience as a top-tier Hunter!"
I nearly choked. Years of experience, my foot! I only joined a Gate raid last week!
But before I could protest, the guild staff looked even more impressed.
"Do-yun-ssi, since you're the one who recovered this item, the guild will present you with a special award for your dedication."
I could only manage a stiff smile and nod. An award? What now? All I wanted was to go home!
Before I fully realized what was happening, the entire room burst into cheers. The guild officer announced that I would receive a reward and recognition from the guild.
The Hunters clapped enthusiastically, some even praising my "keen instincts" and "exceptional leadership" qualities they claimed I had. Meanwhile, I could only stand there, trying to look calm.
Please… let this just be a dream! If this keeps up, they'll really start believing I'm some high-ranking Hunter!
Then, the guild officer placed a hand on my shoulder and looked at me seriously.
"Do-yun-ssi, what are your next plans? The guild will fully support anything you need for your future missions."
I swallowed hard, my mind racing for an answer. My next plans? I just wanted to live a quiet life without this whole 'Hunter extraordinaire' label!
But of course, I couldn't say that. I simply nodded, pretending to ponder deeply.
"Would it be possible for me to have a little time to think about it?" I asked finally, trying to sound wise.
The guild officer smiled, full of understanding.
"Of course, Do-yun-ssi. A true hero is always humble."
I could only laugh awkwardly and nod. A hero? I'm just an ordinary guy who's either incredibly unlucky… or lucky… or whatever this whole thing is.
When the whole process was finally over, I let out a sigh of relief. The Hunters started to disperse, though some were still talking about our "amazing adventure" in the Gate.
As I walked out of the guild building, I scanned my surroundings, hoping there would be no more misunderstandings like this.
But as I exited, I saw a large poster displayed on the announcement board. It was a poster featuring the guild's "Hunter of the Month" with a smiling face of a proud Hunter… and that face was mine.
I stopped, nearly tripping over myself, staring at the poster. WHAT IS THIS? Since when did I become "Hunter of the Month"? I've only been on two missions! I tried to stay calm, but inside I wanted to scream.
Moments later, another guild staff member approached me, holding a thick stack of documents.
"Do-yun-ssi, this is a list of congratulatory messages from the other Hunters. Everyone is grateful and admiring your bravery."
I held my breath, barely able to lift the stack of papers. Oh my… It seems I'm really stuck in this misunderstanding. Now, how am I supposed to get out of this without disappointing everyone?
Taking a deep breath, I tried to compose myself. If this keeps up, I might have to live as an actual high-ranking Hunter… or at least pretend to for the rest of my life.
Or maybe… I'd figure out a way out later. With a faint smile, I walked away, hoping that this so-called luck wouldn't complicate my life any further.