Transferred to an SSS-rank Production Class

“You’re going out with your mentee without me?”

I glared at Shin-ju while clutching my side, which had been tickled just moments ago.

“I’m just taking her to her qualification exam.”

“Eck, you’re going to the training center?”

“What did you think I was saying?”

‘Come to think of it, Shin-ju is also from the training center.’

I had completely forgotten that Shin-ju, with her carefree attitude, was what they called a ‘tower spoon’ – someone who had an easy path after awakening. And not just any training center, but the Seoul Training Center, known for having the highest competition rate.

“How are you planning to get there?”

“By car, of course. How else?”

“Huh? You don’t have a car. You said it was too much trouble to maintain one.”

“There’s this thing called car-sharing services in the world, you know.”

Shin-ju, who usually replaced her car and equipment as soon as she saved up a bit of money, fell silent as if caught off guard. Then suddenly, she clung to me and asked.

“Can’t I come along?”

Shin-ju covered my mouth with both hands before I could protest and started rattling off reasons why I should take her with me.

“I’ll drive you! It’s a brand new car, not even two weeks old. Oh, and I can be your escort too. I know someone in charge of the exam. I can call and ask for some favors.”

I could see right through Shin-ju’s intentions. She must have been dying of curiosity about why I became a guide without telling even her, my closest friend.

As I moved my lips to answer, Shin-ju removed her hands. I gently pushed away her arms as she naturally wrapped them around my waist.

“Let’s go together, okay? I’m really curious about what kind of kid made you take them on as a mentee so suddenly.”

“You really…”

“You know I can’t sleep well when I’m curious about something. I’ll treat you both to a delicious dinner. Of course, for the kid too.”

Shin-ju, who had practically buried her head in my shoulder, chattered away.

‘Should I take her or not?’

I had been thinking it would be nice to introduce Shin-ju to Cha Taeyang for a while, so I was torn. The fact that she knew someone there also weighed on my mind.

‘Above all, she said she’d be our escort.’

My deliberation didn’t last long. As I stepped back, I could see Shin-ju’s face, which had been resting her chin on my shoulder. I placed my hand on top of her head.

“If Hunter Cha Taeyang is okay with it, let’s go together.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But you have to be nice, okay? Give her some advice too.”

“Of course! I’ll treat her the best, thinking of her as your little sister!”

“Not your little sister?”

Shin-ju replied gruffly, as if she’d heard something absurd.

“If she were my little sister, I couldn’t be kind. Don’t you know what kind of relationship Park Bo-bae and I have?”

As Shin-ju growled about her little brother, I soothed her and sent a message to Cha Taeyang asking for her understanding.

I thought she might still be sleeping, but a reply came immediately.

[- Sender: Cha Taeyang

If it’s unni’s friend, I’m fine with it. See you later!]

I couldn’t help but smile, imagining her waving her hand with a bright smile.

***

“Unni! Is it always like this here?”

Cha Taeyang emerged from the Mental Center, not hiding her discomfort.

‘I knew this would happen.’

This is the Mental Center, a counseling institution established by the government for hunters’ mental health. Young hunters like Cha Taeyang are required to receive counseling here every time they return from the World Tower.

I tried to comfort Cha Taeyang, who was frowning, as we headed towards the parking lot. Shin-ju, waiting for us in the car, poked her head out of the window to greet us.

“Why is our Taeyang so upset?”

“No, unni, listen to this. You know what those people in there said?”

Cha Taeyang, who had become quite close to Shin-ju during the short trip to the Mental Center, started complaining in detail.

“They kept lecturing me, saying it’s not right to get too immersed in what happens inside the World Tower!”

“Ah, so that’s what it was.”

“They even said if it’s too difficult, think of it as a game… How does that make any sense?”

Shin-ju let out a hollow laugh and patted Cha Taeyang’s shoulder.

“Don’t be too hard on those people. They’re just following government policy.”

When the World Tower first appeared, the strange tower urging conquest and the monsters pouring out of the fields plunged people into a cauldron of fear. People desperately clung to awakened individuals, the only group that could stand against this threat.

“But that didn’t last long.”

Aren’t humans creatures of adaptation? It wasn’t long before people started creating systems suitable for the new era.

The fear of fields and the World Tower soon shifted to the awakened individuals.

The awakened, once hailed as heroes, were soon treated as mutants with superhuman abilities who could destroy monsters impervious to firearms with a single gesture.

“You might not remember because you were too young then. The atmosphere was really intense at that time.”

“I’ve heard about it… But what does that have to do with the Mental Center?”

Shin-ju, who had been talking with the car parked, started the engine. Then she glanced at me, as if telling me to explain the rest.

“The governments of each country tried to alleviate public fears in their own ways. South Korea chose to dissociate the anomalous phenomena from reality.”

“Dissociate from… reality?”

“Yes. They drew a line, saying ‘this is not our daily life’.”

The fact that South Korean hunters have particularly high media exposure is also part of this policy.

They turned hunters into performers on screen, and non-awakened individuals ‘watched’ them. At the same time, awakened individuals were constantly indoctrinated through the Mental Center that they shouldn’t bring what happens inside the World Tower into ‘reality’.

As a result, the anomalous phenomena came to be seen as a kind of ‘content’, like a game or variety show. By separating events inside and outside the World Tower, incidents of hunters crossing the line in the ‘real world’ also decreased significantly.

“People really fell for something like that?”

“Whew, Taeyang. People are simpler than you think.”

“It sounds simple, but I’m sure it wasn’t that straightforward. This policy could only be implemented with perfect control over the anomalous phenomena.”

“Actually, other countries tried similar approaches and failed.”

Shin-ju, who had stopped the car at a traffic signal, gently stroked Cha Taeyang’s head.

“Koreans have relatively less fear of this phenomenon. Thanks to Ji-hwa-nim, we were the fastest in the world to return to ‘normalcy’.”

“Witch-unni?”

“Yes. Ji-hwa used to be really amazing back then. She was a true hero.”

But Cha Taeyang still seemed to have doubts, wrinkling her nose.

“…What about the hunters?”

“Hm?”

“I understand that people might believe it’s not their business, that it’s not dangerous. But hunters are different, right? How can people who risk their lives fighting say it’s ‘not real’?”

It seemed to be an unexpected question, as Shin-ju looked at me through the rearview mirror. Then, turning her gaze back to Cha Taeyang, she answered with a voice tinged with a sigh.

“Well, Taeyang, you might not know this yet, but there are quite a few people who need to hear those words.”

Our job isn’t always as beautiful as it might seem.

I nodded slightly at her self-deprecating addendum.

◆◇◆◇◆

“Phew, we’ve finally arrived.”

“Good work.”

Shin-ju stretched, leaning against the car.

The Seoul Training Center building, constructed within the Korea Military Academy grounds, stood tall and was visible even from a distance.

“Unni, I saw something that looked like a hanok over there. What’s that?”

“Ah, that? It’s some kind of cultural heritage site. There are even deer next to it.”

“Really, Mr. Kim? I love deer!”

We headed towards the training center, with Cha Taeyang and the goblin busy looking around.

An employee at the information booth set up in front of the building stopped us.

“What’s your business here?”

“We’re here for qualification acquisition.”

“Please show me the visitor pass you received at the entrance, and sign these documents here.”

Skimming through, I saw it was a confidentiality agreement. There was also a document stating that we would have to provide compensation commensurate with any damage to the training center building or equipment.

It didn’t seem like there would be any issues, so I was about to sign when the goblin rolled over to me.

“Mr. Kim, Mr. Kim! What about me?”

“Oh, um…”

“I didn’t realize there was one more person. I’ll bring another copy.”

The employee answered on my behalf as I hesitated. Perhaps because there are many eccentrics among hunters, the employee didn’t seem fazed by the goblin speaking.

As the employee handed over a pen, the goblin, who had been in the form of a bell, transformed into a small human shape and cheered.

“Sori, isn’t it difficult? Should I do it for you?”

“No! I want to do it myself!”

The goblin struggled to sign with its short arms, hugging the pen. Unlike its usual behavior, the handwriting was somewhat old-fashioned.

Once everyone in our group had signed, the employee brought out a map.

“Ah, no need. I’m from here.”

The employee blinked, as if not believing it. Shin-ju, used to this reaction, waved her hand dismissively and went outside the information booth.

Shin-ju, who had been walking ahead, stopped in front of a gate at the back of the building.

‘So this is the rumored…’

Despite various controversies, this field was the reason why the Seoul Training Center was built in this location. Although I had heard rumors, seeing it in person was a different experience altogether.

“Everyone, attention.”

Shin-ju, who had been wearing a carefree smile all along, suddenly wiped the expression off her face and put her hands behind her back.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the ‘Ninety-Nine Branch Cave’.”