RG 15

I noticed the unusually crowded streets when I arrived at the bustling downtown area. Moreover, spotting people in unique attire sporadically made me wonder if some event was nearby.

“Halloween?”

My doubt dissolved instantly upon seeing an advertisement on the glass window of an accessory store. The flyer proclaimed an array of masks perfect for Halloween, making me realize that today was October 31st.

Once aware, I began noticing bat-shaped decorations, pumpkin lanterns, and people dressed in Halloween costumes scattered everywhere. Seeing this sparked a great idea.

‘I could make use of this atmosphere.’

Even with a hat, I felt uneasy about showing my face outright. Halloween offered something more fitting.

Stepping into the nearby toy store, I picked a mask that wasn’t too flashy but still appropriate. The white mask only had holes around the eyes, fitting perfectly to conceal my face.

I put on the mask right away. On any other day, I might have garnered curious glances or even been labeled eccentric, but nobody paid me attention today. The streets were filled with people in far more chaotic and flamboyant outfits.

No worries about revealing my face with this. Feeling much more at ease, I headed back to the public square.

***

“Hello, viewers. This is Kim Huijeong, a reporter from Hunterroon TV.”

Behind the reporter with the microphone was Kwon Taehyeok, chatting with his secretary.

“Right here is where the Ranking Match is about to kick off! Hunter Kwon Taehyeok is here early, getting ready for combat. The opposing Hunter, still shrouded, seems yet to have arrived.”

The camera panned to the onlookers gathered outside the plaza’s iron bars. Members of the Yesung Guild, wielding their phones, were ensuring no accidents occurred among the spectators.

“The time now is 9:50 PM! The Ranking Match is scheduled to commence at 10 PM, as notified by Kwon Taehyeok. If the opponent fails to appear by 10 PM, the match will automatically be invalidated…”

Just then.

Before the reporter could finish speaking, a commotion arose from the opposite side as several figures generated a buzz, and a black shadow swiftly streaked across the sky.

Thud.

Someone effortlessly leaped over the bars with graceful agility, landing at the plaza’s center. This person had slender arms and legs, a layered hat and hood, topped by a fluttering denim jacket emblazoned with the word ‘Cover’ on the back.

The sudden appearance of the man caused an immediate uproar. The reporter, visibly excited, hastily resumed speaking, “Did you see that? Finally, the participant for the Ranking Match has revealed himself! Challenging Kwon Taehyeok, the Hunter who has firmly held the number one ranking for the past three years!”

Following the reporter’s urgent cue, the camera swiftly turned to capture the man in the denim jacket.

‘S-class.’

Kwon Taehyeok, too, caught the arrival of his opponent.

The aura emanating from the man standing at an angle indicated an S-class Awakened. Kwon Taehyeok dismissed his secretary and slowly advanced toward the man.

The man standing still heard Kwon Taehyeok’s footsteps and lifted his head. As Kwon Taehyeok faced his opponent for the first time, he narrowed his eyes.

‘A mask?’

This person had anonymously applied for the Ranking Match, so Kwon Taehyeok wanted to see how shameless he was.

With a deeply pressed hat, a hood layered on top, and an entirely white mask covering the entire face—this was a flawless disguise where not even a strand of hair was visible. Was he trying to be some kind of ninja? It was absurd.

The audience became unsettled upon realizing that the man had covered his face. Amid the tense atmosphere, Kwon Taehyeok, with confidence, unfolded his arms and spoke, “Are you seriously planning to fight like that?”

Upon hearing Kwon Taehyeok’s sarcastic remark, the opponent slightly tilted his head. “Well, as far as I know, there are no restrictions on attire.” 

It was a surprisingly composed and pleasant voice. That just made it more irritating. Fully covered and yet sporting a normal attitude and voice, he seemed more off-putting than if he had acted oddly to match his appearance.

‘If he’s gone to this extent to conceal himself, he’s definitely up to something unnecessary.’

Kwon Taehyeok clicked his tongue, seeing things didn’t unfold as he’d anticipated. While intending to exploit the ranking battle, his opponent had actually shown such an overt display of nonsense. He was dumbfounded.

“Fine.” With a sigh, Kwon Taehyeok took off his suit jacket and handed it to his secretary, who was waiting behind him. “I understand why you’ve anonymously applied for the Ranking Match and covered your face. However, it’s just for now. If I win, I’m tearing off and destroying that mask immediately.”

“Oh…”

Despite the stern warning, the opponent remained relaxed. Uttering an incomprehensible exclamation, he extended his right hand forward. With a faint hum, something long and pitch-black materialized in his empty hand. It was a longsword drawn from his inventory.

“Since you kindly accepted this Ranking Match I’ve arranged on my terms, I’m fully prepared. I do have a conscience, you know.” The opponent replied with a voice tinged with amusement, slowly raising the sword. Even to Kwon Taehyeok, his stance seemed neat and flawless.

In response, Kwon Taehyeok also raised his spirits. His gaze, visible beneath the fluttering dark blue hair, was determined.

***

When I finally arrived at the plaza right on time, the overwhelming crowd surpassed my expectations, stirring up a sense of alarming disbelief.

‘No way, this many…?’

Considering this hastily arranged Ranking Match and the anonymity of one side, this was beyond what I had imagined. Seems like I’ve been a bit too optimistic.

Avoiding the crowd’s gazes, I quietly lamented while perched on a tree, “Oh, this is nerve-wracking.”

Now, I’m supposed to fight Kwon Taehyeok one-on-one in the middle, right? And there are even cameras from the broadcasting station? How many are there? This is insane.

The reporter’s excited chatter reached me from afar.

“Hunter Kwon Taehyeok is here early, getting ready for combat. The opposing Hunter, still shrouded, seems yet to have arrived.”

I’ve arrived, you see. But I feel like running away. Suppressing the response I couldn’t voice to the reporter, I sighed deeply.

This cheap mask covering my face, the overly pressed hat, and the suffocating reality of fighting the Rank 1 Hunter in front of cameras and dozens of onlookers were all discomforting.

“They asked me to gain trust but then told me to fight like this?’

The more I thought, the stranger the quests, supposedly the main ones, seemed to be.

Become friends and gain trust, then fight for the top rank? What nonsense is this? Thank goodness I can change my appearance with a hidden skill; otherwise, I would have failed before the match even began.

The more I recalled, the more frustrated and headache I felt. I felt so wronged. However, it’s too late to dismiss it all now, so it’s better to go through with the Ranking Match and finish it.

Confirming there were 10 minutes left until the match began, I jumped off the tree branch, keeping my hat in place as I leaped over the bars and landed precisely at the plaza’s center.

 “Did you see that? Finally, the participant for the Ranking Match has revealed himself!” 

I could feel gazes pouring in from all directions as I entered the plaza. The immense pressure was unlike anything I’d sensed from the tree.

“Challenging Kwon Taehyeok, the Hunter who has firmly held the number one ranking for the past three years!”

Yes, that idiot is here…

Swallowing tears, I lifted my head to look at Kwon Taehyeok. As I appeared on time, Kwon Taehyeok walked to the plaza’s center and asked, “Are you seriously planning to fight like that?”

“Well, as far as I know, there are no restrictions on attire.” 

Awkwardly adjusting the mask I wore while smiling at his calm remark, I felt fortunate it was Halloween season. If I hadn’t bought this mask on my way here, my puzzled expression would have given everything away to Kwon Taehyeok.

‘I’m not fighting because I want to, you know…’

Sighing inwardly, I glanced up. The status window hovering above my head flickered as if urging me on.

《Main Quest: Defeat the current Rank 1 Hunter ‘Kwon Taehyeok’ and claim the Rank 1 position (Remaining time: 2 hours 15 minutes)》

Thanks to aligning the match with Kwon Taehyeok’s schedule, there was little time left. I needed to settle this within the hour to be safe from any unexpected mishaps. I immediately retrieved my longsword from my inventory.