"It's been a while, Siwoo. How have you been? Did you miss me at all?"
Moon Seol-hee's face showed not a hint of embarrassment or guilt.
How was that even possible?
Siwoo couldn't understand her at all.
Shaking his head, he tried to brush past her, wanting nothing more than to ignore her existence.
"What the hell? Are you seriously ignoring me right now?"
But Seol-hee had other plans. She grabbed his arm before he could walk away.
"What do you think you're doing?"
His voice was cold, detached.
Seol-hee only smiled. "Let's talk. It's been a while. A cup of coffee wouldn't hurt, would it?"
Unbelievable.
Not only did he have no desire to entertain her, but he also found the mere suggestion absurd.
"I don't think we're the kind of people who can sit down for a casual coffee chat, Seol-hee."
"Are you still mad about that?"
Oh? So that's how she saw it?
Did she expect him to just laugh it off as if it were nothing?
Siwoo forced down the surge of anger rising within him and spoke in an eerily calm voice.
"You threw me away and chose Jang Dong-pil just because you wanted to be successful. You're still dating him, aren't you? Didn't you two even talk about marriage?"
At his words, Seol-hee bit her lip. For the first time, her usual confident expression wavered.
"Siwoo..."
Her gaze softened, her eyes welling up as if she were about to cry.
Siwoo let out a sigh in his mind.
When they were together, he had been blind to her true nature.
Only now did he see how self-centered and emotionally manipulative she really was.
Now, when her usual charms didn't work, she was playing the pity card.
"I know, okay? I was blinded by ambition. I was a terrible person. That's why I stayed with Dong-pil for so long, out of guilt. But Siwoo..."
"Enough. I don't want to hear your excuses."
"Why are you being so cold?"
Cold? Him?
Was she even using her brain right now?
Then again, she had to have some intelligence to become a journalist at a national broadcasting station.
Maybe she was only this way when it came to men—always putting herself first.
Siwoo spoke with finality.
"I don't want to hear any of it. And I never want to see your face again. So do me a favor and stay out of my life."
The words were harsh and ruthless, but it was better to set a firm boundary here and now.
Otherwise, she might start clinging to some false hope.
'Seriously… Unbelievable.'
Shaking his head, Siwoo walked away without looking back.
At home, Siwoo took a deep breath, pushing aside the lingering frustration.
Seol-hee's two-faced nature no longer even made him angry.
She was a smart woman. She must have weighed her options between him and Jang Dong-pil, calculating which of them had the brighter future.
And now, she had come to a new conclusion—Siwoo.
Compared to him, Dong-pil must have seemed like a complete loser.
'Tch.'
A flicker of irritation crossed his mind.
What was he, some product to be compared and chosen?
The way she treated relationships like picking out a new phone or car—how did she live her life like that?
Exhaling sharply, Siwoo shook off the thoughts. He had no intention of wasting energy on pointless emotions.
'Focus on work.'
Reaching for the paper bag from Jagak Sobyeongsub Tech, he pulled out the contents: his Ampomation and hunter gear.
Inside a Gate, items that lacked mana eroded quickly. That's why specialized equipment was necessary. It was also why the hunter industry was thriving.
'Let's see.'
Siwoo picked up the Ampomation. It was slightly shorter than his forearm.
Ampomations were usually customized to fit a hunter's arm, wrapping around the forearm and transmitting information efficiently.
But this one wasn't made for him—it was secondhand.
The size was off, but he would have to make do.
'Not like I can afford a new one yet.'
He took out a set of thin needles.
Ampomations connected directly to a hunter's bloodstream, requiring needle replacements before each use.
Click—
Siwoo inserted the needle into the Ampomation with practiced ease.
Just as he finished, there was a knock at the door.
"Siwoo."
It was his father, Lee Jin-ho.
"Come in."
Jin-ho entered and got straight to the point.
"Did you check out any used cars yet?"
"Ah!"
Siwoo smacked his forehead. He had completely forgotten after dealing with reporters all day.
Jin-ho shook his head. "Knew it. That's why I went ahead and checked one out for you. You remember Park Jung-jun? One of my old students?"
"Oh, right. The guy who runs a used car dealership?"
"Yeah. He had a solid SUV from 2017."
"How much?"
"Seven million won."
"That's reasonable?"
"Checked everything—engine, accident history, flood damage. Best one available."
Siwoo trusted his father's judgment. The man knew his cars.
"I'll take it."
"You don't want to check it yourself?"
"If you say it's good, it's good enough for me."
"Alright. Wire the money, and I'll have him register it tomorrow."
"Got it."
Jin-ho handed him a note with the bank details.
"Get to work."
With that, Jin-ho left the room.
'Well, that's a relief.'
Siwoo had planned to start gathering resources inside the Gates soon.
Public transport was an option, but it was inefficient.
'Yeah. A car is definitely better.'
Thanks to his father, one less thing to worry about.
Click—
Securing the flexible Ampomation around his arm, he pressed the activation point.
A sharp prick, followed by a soft chime.
[Scanning...]
A few seconds later, his stats appeared on the screen.
Mana Capacity: 320
Current Mana: 315
Stamina: 73%
His starting mana range was right within the expected levels for an E-rank hunter.
Mana capacity increased with training, just like muscle growth from exercise.
Most E-ranks capped at 999.
But Siwoo was different.
The more mana he absorbed inside the Gates, the more he would grow.
And once his limit exceeded 999—
He would advance to a D-rank hunter.
'Just wait. I'll become the strongest hunter.'
Determination burned in his eyes.
Taking a deep breath, he calmed his pounding heart.
Tomorrow, his journey would begin.