A new storm was brewing.
Not within a Gate or a Dungeon. Not in a battlefield where Hunters clashed with monsters.
No.
This storm was forming within the world of information.
Han Soo-Jin's fingers hovered over her keyboard, heart pounding.
She had watched the leaked footage of the Seoraksan Raid at least a hundred times.
Every frame. Every movement. Every detail.
The world had never seen anything like it.
A mysterious, unidentified Hunter standing alone against an S+ Rank monster… and winning.
No official record.
No name in the Hunter database.
No background.
And yet, the man in the footage had faced death itself and emerged unscathed.
Han Soo-Jin knew one thing:
This was the story of a lifetime.
---
She adjusted her microphone, her voice calm but deliberate as she began recording.
["This is Han Soo-Jin, bringing you an exclusive report on the leaked footage from the Seoraksan Raid."]
The video feed flickered.
On screen, the Abyssal Knight moved with terrifying precision, cutting down Hunters with ease.
Then—Kael Ardyn entered the frame.
A ghost in modern history.
["The Hunter Association has yet to release an official statement regarding this unidentified combatant,"] she continued.
["But one fact is undeniable—he is unlike anything we've ever seen."]
She leaned forward.
["Who is this man? Why does he not exist in any records? And more importantly… what else is the HA hiding from us?"]
---
The broadcast spread like wildfire.
Within hours, the footage had been shared across every major media platform.
- News networks dissected every frame.
- Social media exploded with theories.
- Hunter forums debated whether he was an S-Rank, an experimental government soldier, or something else entirely.
And the public wanted answers.
The Hunter Association had been too quiet.
People were beginning to ask:
What were they trying to hide?
---
Inside the Hunter Association headquarters, alarms were already blaring.
Kim Seung-Ho, Director of the HA, clenched his jaw as he watched Han Soo-Jin's broadcast play on the meeting room screen.
The damage had been done.
Containment was no longer an option.
.
.
Inside the Hunter Association headquarters, the war room was in chaos.
Screens flickered with breaking news updates, public reactions, and social media threads.
Han Soo-Jin's broadcast had shattered the HA's information control.
And now, the world was demanding answers.
Kim Seung-Ho, Director of the Hunter Association, stood at the head of the room.
His expression was grim.
"The situation has escalated beyond our expectations," he said. "Containment is no longer an option."
A murmur of frustration spread among the officials and Guild Leaders.
Chae Do-Gyun, Chief of Hunter Operations, crossed his arms.
"What did you expect?" he muttered. "A double dungeon event with an S+ Rank entity—and an unidentified Hunter fighting it? There was no way this would stay quiet."
At the far end of the table, Yoo Sang-Min, Leader of Shadow Fang, scoffed.
"That's the problem," he said. "This unidentified Hunter. Who the hell is he?"
His gaze flicked to the screen, where Kael Ardyn's image was frozen mid-battle.
"He appears out of nowhere, takes down a monster that should've wiped out the entire raid team, and walks away without a scratch."
He leaned forward.
"You expect the public not to go crazy over this?"
Kim Eun-Jae, Minister of Hunter Affairs, rubbed her temples.
"The international community has already taken notice," she said. "We've received inquiries from the World Hunter Association and several foreign governments."
She sighed.
"They want to know if we've been hiding an unregistered S-Rank Hunter."
Jang Tae-Min, Leader of Phantom Dawn, spoke next.
His voice was cold.
"My top Hunter—Seo Mirae—is still fighting for her life because of that raid."
He turned toward Kim Seung-Ho.
"And yet, this 'Kael Ardyn' walked away like it was nothing. How do you think that looks?"
Silence.
Jang Tae-Min's frustration was shared by many in the room.
The Guild Leaders had lost some of their best Hunters, and the HA had no answers to give them.
---
Kwon Tae-Hyun, Director of HA Intelligence, finally spoke.
"We need to control the narrative before this spirals further."
A pause.
Then, he glanced at Park Do-Yun, Representative of the Research Division.
"How long until we can present a formal assessment of Kael Ardyn's abilities?"
Park Do-Yun hesitated.
"We've already conducted a preliminary analysis," he admitted. "But the results raise more questions than answers."
A sharp silence followed.
Then, Yoon Hye-Rim, Leader of the Korean Guild Federation, leaned forward.
"Then we only have one option."
All eyes turned to her.
She exhaled slowly.
"We bring Kael into the Hunter Association."
---
The war room fell into silence.
Yoon Hye-Rim's words lingered in the air.
"We bring Kael into the Hunter Association."
No one spoke for a long moment.
Then—
"You're joking, right?"
Yoo Sang-Min, Leader of Shadow Fang, leaned back in his chair, scoffing.
"You want us to let an unregistered, unknown Hunter into our ranks? One who just fought an S+ Rank monster and survived?"
His tone was sharp, edged with barely concealed distrust.
"That sounds like inviting a disaster into our own home."
Kim Seung-Ho, Director of the HA, exhaled.
"This isn't about what we want," he said. "This is about control."
He gestured toward the screen displaying the public backlash.
"The world is already demanding answers. The longer we hesitate, the worse this situation becomes."
His gaze swept across the room.
"If we don't move first, someone else will."
Kang Tae-Sung, Leader of Iron Claw Guild, nodded.
"We don't have many choices here," he admitted.
"Either we integrate him into the system and monitor him from the inside… or we risk him falling into the hands of another group."
His meaning was clear.
If the HA didn't claim Kael, other organizations, foreign powers, or private syndicates might try.
Chae Do-Gyun, Chief of Hunter Operations, finally spoke.
"We can't assess his full threat level without proper evaluation."
He folded his arms.
"I propose a controlled environment. Bring him in under HA observation. Test his abilities. Establish a formal classification for his strength."
Jang Tae-Min, Leader of Phantom Dawn, looked unimpressed.
"And if he refuses?"
A pause.
Kwon Tae-Hyun, Director of HA Intelligence, adjusted his glasses.
"We have ways to make him reconsider."
The meaning behind his words was left unsaid.
---
Yoon Hye-Rim sighed.
"Let's be clear—Kael Ardyn isn't a normal Hunter."
She tapped a finger against the table.
"And he sure as hell isn't someone we can just threaten into submission."
She turned to Kim Seung-Ho.
"What exactly are we offering him?"
Kim Seung-Ho was silent for a moment.
Then, he spoke.
"Freedom."
The room stilled.
"We bring him in, classify him, and grant him a legal Hunter status," he said.
His voice was measured, deliberate.
"In return, he operates under our jurisdiction. Not as a soldier. Not as a prisoner. But as a Hunter, like the rest."
The weight of the decision settled over the room.
There was no perfect solution.
But this was the best they had.
Yoon Hye-Rim's gaze sharpened.
"We're all pretending he's just an unregistered Hunter, but let's not forget—"
Her words hung in the air, unfinished.
Kim Seung-Ho remained stone-faced.
"Regardless of where he came from," he said, choosing his words carefully, "the fact remains—he's here now. And we need a plan."