I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter

“Do you really like ants that much?”

 

At the Korea University Museum of Art, the assistant professor of the Painting Department, Im Dogyun, had a look of boredom on his face as he gazed at a painting of ants.

 

The exhibition hall wall was covered in various types of ant paintings, including oil paintings, watercolors, and sketches. Each ant was depicted uniquely.

 

Im Dogyun attached a name tag underneath one of the paintings.

 

[Korea University Painting Department Exhibition]

[3rd year, Sung Sooho]

 

“I bet if we collected all the ants you’ve painted since you were a freshman, it would fill up this entire room. If that’s the case, you should have gone to the Entomology Department instead of the Fine Arts Department.”

 

“I considered it, but there’s no separate Ant Department.”

 

“So you just like ants, not insects in general?”

 

“Yes. Strangely enough, I’ve liked ants since I was young. Whenever I saw an ant trail, I made sure not to accidentally step on it…”

 

“You’ve liked them since you were young? Your taste is consistent, I’ll give you that.” Im Dogyun chuckled and continued to examine Sooho’s painting until he stopped abruptly. “Why does this ant look different?” In front of him was a humanoid ant painted with a dark aura rising from it. “Hmm. The dynamics of the motion are great. Is it a monster?”

 

“It’s not a monster. It’s just an ant that appeared in my dreams when I was young.”

 

“Ha, you’re quite something. How long have you been dreaming about ants? Since you were a child?”

 

“Since before the Great Cataclysm.”

 

The Great Cataclysm was a term used to describe the end-of-the-world crisis that suddenly occurred two years ago.

 

Unknown gates started appearing all over the Earth, and terrifying monsters poured out of them, invading and conquering the planet. Fortunately, a small fraction of humans awakened supernatural abilities just in time to save humanity from destruction.

 

This was only two years ago when Sooho was just 20 years old and a freshman, but Sooho had been obsessed with his “ant dream” before that, during his middle and high school years.

 

“Anyway, you’re quite the artist too, huh?” Assistant Professor Im chuckled and examined Sooho’s drawing closely. “But you really drew it well. The ants in the picture look like they’ll jump out and bite you any moment. Oh, am I going too far? Your drawing is just that vivid.”

 

Sooho smiled inwardly at his words.

 

‘Well, I can’t help it.’

 

It wasn’t just a passing comment, as the ants in the picture were actually his nightmares. They were monsters that used to pop out in his dreams during his adolescence, trying to kill him.

 

‘… Looking back, it was a really terrifying dream.’

 

Sooho recalled that dream.

 

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

 

In that dream, he had to fight for his life against monsters without knowing why. Armored knights, ant legions, and even huge dragons were blocking his way endlessly.

 

If he killed those monsters, he leveled up like in a game, but if he died, he had to reset from level 1. The only way to escape from that dream was to survive and make it to the final boss’ room.

 

Fighting relentlessly, he finally arrived before the final boss, only to find out that the boss’ face…

 

‘Looked like my father.’

 

He laughed bitterly, thinking it was indeed just a teenage dream. And he stopped dreaming that dream at some point.

 

‘Probably around that time.’

 

Yes, it was the summer of his first year of high school, after his parents went missing, that Sooho’s peaceful daily life crumbled.

 

***

 

Around that time, something strange was happening in the corner of the art museum building. 

 

“Is this where it’s kept?”

 

“Yes, senior. Assistant Im stored them in here.”

 

Creak.

The students in the painting department opened the warehouse door to collect the exhibits.

 

And when they discovered “it” inside, their eyes widened.

 

“Ah!?”

 

Squeak! Squeak!

 

A black hole was floating on the wall.

 

“Oh no! It’s a gate!”

 

“Report it quickly!”

 

The students stepped back, frightened, holding their phones with trembling hands to report the incident. However, a senior from the fourth grade hurriedly stopped them.

 

“Calm down! It’s obviously a closed gate!”

 

“Yeah. The blue mist hasn’t come out yet.”

 

“Right. It’s still far from a dungeon break.”

 

“Ha. I was really scared.”

 

The students who belatedly realized the situation heaved a sigh of relief.

 

A dungeon break was a phenomenon where monsters poured out of a gate. However, the dungeon break did not occur immediately when the gate was created. Before that, the ‘blue mist’ had to flow out of the gate and pollute the surrounding area. Only then could the gate open, and monsters come out.

 

“So, it’s still safe for now. Hehe.”

 

“Senior, why are you laughing so nervously? Even so, we should report the danger quickly, right?”

 

“You idiots. Haven’t you heard that rumor that drinking the blue mist can awaken your powers?”

 

“Ah!”

 

The senior’s words made the juniors’ ears perk up.

 

The true identity of the blue mist had not yet been clearly revealed, but a rumor had been spreading on the internet like an urban legend for a while: the mist was infused with magical power; if you drank it, even an ordinary person could awaken their powers.

 

“Isn’t that just a false rumor?”

 

“It hasn’t been proven to be false either.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Hehe. That’s why we’re going to confirm it this time. Who knows? Maybe an S-rank Hunter will be born among us?”

 

“…!”

 

After hearing the senior’s secret whisper, the juniors’ expressions changed dramatically. They thought of the astronomical amount of money that S-rank Hunters earn. Since the corpses of monsters and ores from dungeons had become popular as new materials, the profession of a Hunter, who could collect all these goods, had become a symbol of wealth and fame. However, it had only been two years since the Great Cataclysm occurred. There was still no clear understanding of how to awaken magical powers.

 

“In addition, did you guys know that Assistant Im is also an E-rank Awakened?”

 

“I heard that. He’s always complaining that he can’t make money as an E-rank Hunter, so he does a teaching assistant job during the semester.”

 

“Tch, tch. You’re talking nonsense. That’s a deception, man. Do you know how much Assistant Im earns just by going into dungeons as a mining team, not even as a combat team?”

 

“How much does he earn?” 

 

The senior whispered as if revealing a great secret, and the juniors’ eyes widened immediately.

 

“What? Does he earn that much even as an E-rank Hunter?”

 

“That’s right, man. Even if you’re unlucky enough to be the lowest-ranked Hunter, you can earn that much. Why would you miss such a good opportunity?”

 

“Wow, Hunters are really the best. But why is Assistant Im still sticking around at school if he can earn that much?”

 

“He spends the money he earns from the dungeon lavishly on art, and working as a teaching assistant also gives him many opportunities.”

 

“It’s really amazing.” 

 

E-rank’s income was much more convincing than the rare S-rank awakening, even more so than winning the lottery. After continuous persuasion from the senior, the juniors finally put down their phones silently.

 

“Well, hmm… Even if the blue mist flows out, it’s safe for a while…”

 

“Sh-should we wait a little bit? Just a moment?”

 

“Now you guys are talking. It’s just one chance in life. Even if the blue mist comes out, there won’t be any danger if you report it after drinking one sip.”

 

***

 

Thud!

 

Suddenly, the building shook.

 

‘Mm?’

 

Sooho, who was in the exhibition hall, raised his head.

 

‘What’s going on? An earthquake?’

 

Something was strange. It felt like the space itself was shaking, but only Sooho noticed this change. No one else in the exhibition hall seemed to have noticed.

 

Then it happened.

 

Thud.

 

“Uhh.”

 

A student hobbled into the exhibition hall.

 

Assistant Im, who happened to be near the entrance, approached him and asked, “Youngchul, I asked you to go to the warehouse, why are you so late…?”

 

“I-I tried to stop them, but…”

 

“Youngchul?”

 

“The smoke.”

 

Chills ran down Assistant Im’s spine. “Something’s wrong.”

 

His expression turned stern when he confirmed Youngchul’s condition up close: his pupils trembled uncontrollably, and his mouth kept uttering incomprehensible words.

 

“Youngchul, what’s in your mouth?”

 

Youngchul finally became aware of his own condition at Assistant Im’s question.

 

Shaaah!

Suddenly, blue smoke seeped out of his mouth and nose.

 

“Oh, th-this can’t happen. Ugh.” Panicking, Youngchul covered his mouth with his hand, but more smoke kept pouring out between his fingers.

 

Then…

Swish!

With a blast of heat, the blue smoke engulfed Youngchul’s body.

 

“Assistant!” Sooho, who had just run up from behind, grabbed Assistant Im’s body firmly.

 

“Ah-! It’s, it’s hot…!”

 

“…!” While stepping back, Assistant Im’s eyes widened. Youngchul’s body had started to burn, engulfed by the blue smoke.

 

“Ahhhh!”

 

“Wh-what is that!?” Nearby students witnessed the horrific scene and screamed in horror.

 

At that moment,

Weeeng-!

A chilling siren suddenly blared from the school speaker.

 

[Emergency situation!]

 

At the sudden sound, the students started to shout.

 

[A gate has occurred on the school grounds!]

 

“…!?”

 

[The location of the gate is currently in the art museum building…!]

 

“Damn it! It’s here!”

 

“Aah!”

 

Confusion intensified, and students started to run in panic. Having witnessed a person burning to death right before their eyes was an indescribable horror.

 

However, there was one problem with getting out. Unfortunately, the location of Youngchul’s body burning was right in the middle of the exhibition hall entrance. To get out, they had to pass by the body.

 

Fwoosh!

 

One of the students running ahead stumbled in surprise at the intense heat.

 

‘Is there another way out…?’

 

After frantically looking around, Sooho found there was no other way out. There was only one exit.

 

While the students panicked and ran around in confusion, something unbelievable happened.

 

“Huh?” 

 

“Th-that person…” 

 

Youngchul, who had turned into a lump of charcoal, was getting up again. He was covered in blue smoke. 

 

“Wait, that can’t be true, right?” 

 

Assistant Im’s eyes widened in surprise. “It’s a monster! Get away from there right now!” he shouted desperately, but it was too late.

 

[Guooooh!]

 

The monster made of blue smoke, which had taken Youngchul’s corpse as its host, swung its arms like a whip.

Crack!

 

“Aah!” The students writhed on the ground, vomiting blood. And their bodies started to burn fiercely when the blue smoke stuck to their clothes. 

 

“Aah! Fire! Fire!”

 

“Kyaaah!”

 

The rest of the students scattered in all directions, screaming in despair.

 

“Goodness gracious. It really is Mistburn…” The assistant frantically pulled out his phone. Mistburn was not a threat he could handle alone as an E-rank.

 

As the assistant requested backup, Sooho urgently asked him, “What kind of creature is Mistburn?”

 

“If it gets to you…” the assistant gnawed on his lips. “You’ll also turn into the same thing.”

 

[Guooooh!]

 

At that moment, the bodies of the students who Mistburn had attacked began to rise again, engulfed in blue smoke.

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