CHAPTER 121 Preparations

NORMAL PEOPLE:

THE ONE I LOVE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW I EXIST...

OTAKU:

THE ONE I LOVE DOESN'T EVEN EXIST...

.....

'Hunter Sung Jin-Woo….' Sung Esdeath. How well would they be able to hold their liquor? Thinking that he'd like to find out someday, a thin smile formed on Go Gunhee's lips.

---

**Jin POV:**

Screech….

Clunk.

I stepped down from the car that came to a stop. Esdeath was driving it, and even I had to admit she is a fast learner. Even though she had never even seen a car before, she was able to drive one after some instructions. We even had some car fun. The same with the temporary smartphone I bought; after some trial and errors, she mostly understood how it works.

I took a look at my watch; it was still too early for her to be home as she had gone out with her friends. We slowly walked towards our home.

Tick, tick.

Hearing an unfamiliar noise, I turned my head to look and spotted a street lamp that was definitely malfunctioning.

'Now that I think about it….' I realized that the street was far too dark. It was due to the lack of any residents. What with this district being so derelict, to begin with, just from walking a bit away from the main street, one would find themselves in a dark and isolated location like this one.

It was at this point that a certain news item entered my mind.

'The case of serial murders that have been happening around our old street lately.' Weren't the victims supposedly all women? My little sister frequented those roads as well. Not only that, late at night, too.

'Since her school is around there, she can't just avoid those streets willy-nilly, either.'

It would take at least a year before she got her own, so should I hire a driver for her? I began to get worried for her. Then I shook my head, as I do have a great gift for just these cases.

Apprehending the criminal wouldn't be difficult at all as long as the murdering b*stard had been found, but I couldn't really stand around here every night because of his worries. But I should at least leave someone else here as a lookout.

And I possess the perfect candidates for that task.

"Come out."

At my call, shadow soldiers popped up. 'Five should be enough.' These guys had leveled up quite nicely during my world shift. Just looking at them gave me lots of confidence.

"From today onwards, you guys will serve as this district's watchmen. Start your patrol."

As soon as I finished speaking, the soldiers melted into a shadow-like state. And then, they began moving while weaving in and out of the shadows found between various buildings.

'That's right. Move around like that to avoid being spotted by other people.'

Holy wowsers, what wonderful little kids they were turning out to be! Unless that serial murderer was a high-ranked Hunter, he'd never be able to win against a shadow soldier. And even if that murdering b*stard did somehow win against my soldiers, I would know right away.

I am the S rank Hunter, after all. And even if I wasn't here now, I have a significant other; she will handle things while I clear dungeons.

'No, hang on. Since I don't have my revised license yet, should I say that I'm an S rank Awakened, instead?'

Well, what did it matter anyway? A suburb being protected by a rank S; it doesn't matter whether he's a Hunter or an Awakened. If the truth of a free security system being deployed in this area for 24 hours became known, wouldn't the land price jump up overnight?

A smirk leaked out of my mouth. 'Very good.' With this, I felt more relaxed. I scanned my surroundings once more and turned around to enter my new house, looking much more satisfied than before. Meanwhile, Esdeath was enjoying driving around the home.

---

**POV: Switch**

"I came running because you said you'd buy me a meal, but it's just some measly pork belly??"

"Huh?! Are you looking down on the mighty pork belly now??"

"...."

"This place is where my great memory of me and my Hyung-nim was created, you know!!"

Yoo Jinho and his deeply reddened face put the empty shot glass of alcohol down on the table and snorted out in drunkenness.

"Okay, so why did you bring me to this place of such a 'wonderful' memory?" Yoo Soohyun formed a flabbergasted expression. She was getting ready to sleep, but then Yoo Jinho called her out of the blue.

– "Noona, please console me. Please."

– "….Why 'noona' all of a sudden?"

– "Noooooonaaaa~~."

She found his tearful whimpering rather desperate and pitiful, so she hurriedly came out to meet him. However, the place he brought her to was a diner… It was only obvious for Yoo Soohyun to be less than impressed by her current situation. This was considering the fact that she grew up as a refined lady of a chaebol's family, and also the fact that she was working as a top model nowadays.

Glance, glance….

In her hurry, she threw on whatever clothes and even wore a baseball cap on top of that too. Yet, the glances from the surrounding men were still flying towards her non-stop.

"What's going on? Will you just speak up?" Yoo Soohyun asked while pouring more soju in Yoo Jinho's empty shot glass.

"Look, look at this. This is the phone number of my dear Hyung-nim. Right?"

Still sounding tearful, Yoo Jinho pushed forward his smartphone. On the screen, one could see the lengthy list of calls. One successful call, and four failed attempts. Even then, the first one that got through was apparently cut short in the middle, too.

"Wait. Did you call me out here because you couldn't reach someone you know on the phone?!"

Nod, nod. Yoo Jinho's head bobbed up and down.

"Ha-ah…" Yoo Soohyun could hardly believe this. She snatched Yoo Jinho's phone away.

"Gimme that."

She quickly tapped on the 'Call' icon.

Ringgg….

The ringtone got cut off a short while later. When that happened, Yoo Soohyun began glaring at him.

"Hey, you dumba*s."

"Eh?" Yoo Jinho raised his head from the table.

"The ringtone cuts out after 15 seconds. That guy's not avoiding answering you, it's just that his phone's been switched off. And if the call got cut out in the middle, his battery must've run out."

"…Really?"

"If you don't believe me, call again."

Ringgg….

Just as she said, the signal got cut off after 15 seconds.

"Hey, it's for real?!" Yoo Jinho's expression brightened instantly.

"It's sorted now, right? I'm going home."

Yoo Soohyun was about to leave without a shred of hesitation, but Yoo Jinho hurriedly latched onto her sleeve.

"Noooona~. Please hang around until I finish this bottle, at least!"

"Am I a Noona only on occasions like this one, ah?" And this fool usually called her 'You' this and 'Hey you' that all the time, too!

In the end, though, Yoo Soohyun settled back down on the chair.

"Huh? Noona, you also want a drink?"

"You wanted me to wait until you finished the bottle, right? It's going to take a long time before you solo that bottle and I can't wait around until you manage that."

"As expected, there can only be one Noona!"

"Stop it, please?"

Even though she replied like that, they began emptying the shot glasses in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

"By the way, just who is this 'Hyung-nim' guy?"

"You'll find out soon enough." After signing up with the Yujin Guild, that is.

Yoo Jinho was about to say those words out loud, but then his eyes widened slightly after seeing the footage being shown on the TV mounted high up on the diner's wall.

"Uh? Isn't that guy….?" Yoo Soohyun also turned her gaze towards the TV.

The screen showed a news broadcast, of an ice calamity that was heading towards the city they were currently in. As cameras zoomed in, they showed the huge chunk of ice that was growing bigger and brighter due to friction. Even watching the event on TV was so shocking that anyone who turned to look at the TV felt their legs freeze. The same happened with the pair of Sister Cousins. As they both turned their heads, looked outside, and saw darkness as a huge shadow enveloped the whole city and everyone outside stopped what they were doing and looked up with horrified expressions.

As it came down like a guillotine, but this was going to claim the lives of everyone in this country, possibly more. As it grew bigger, people closed their eyes, accepting the punishment sent from Havens. But it didn't come; the pain they were expecting didn't come, so they opened their eyes and saw shock again.

As the huge orb of ice was enfolded by scorching black and red flames, both attacks collided. It was as if hope had been placed in all of them. As they saw themselves surviving, which was true, soon the blackish-red flames prevailed and the ice sphere vanished into nothingness. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, and the whole city jumped high, trying to celebrate their survival while turning to hug the person next to them.

…

In the heart of Seoul, amidst the bustling city, at night, in Jin's home, we see the house shining with lights. At the dinner table, we see all three of them enjoying the food while joking around. Sung Jin-woo looked at Jinha as a box appeared in his hands. He held a mysterious box in his hands, a gift that would not only surprise her but also offer her protection in this unfamiliar world.

"Jinha, I have something for you," Jin said with a warm smile, extending the box towards her.

Jinha looked at him with curiosity, her emerald eyes filled with wonder. "For me? What is it?"

"Open it and find out," he replied, his excitement barely contained.

As Jinha carefully unwrapped the gift, her eyes widened in surprise. Inside the box was a small, adorable puppy with soft, black fur and bright, playful eyes. Its tail wagged, and it let out a gentle bark as if to say hello. What stood out about him most was he was completely pitch black, even his eyes and eyebrows he had.

Jinha couldn't help but let out a small gasp of delight. "Oh my, it's so cute!"

Jin chuckled, "Indeed, he is. But there's more to him than meets the eye. This little puppy is Kuro, something I've obtained from a far place. He's no ordinary pet. He is for your protection."

"..."

"Are you pulling my leg, oppa? This cutie won't even be able to protect himself, let alone anyone else." Jinha said. After all, this furball wasn't even bigger than her hand. How can a dog who is smaller than a shoe protect her? She couldn't believe him; it was even the size of a normal Jindo dog.

"Mmm, you think so?" Jin said with a smirk as Jinha felt something was wrong. She looked at Esdeath, and she also had a smirk on her face. "Kuro, Transform."

Kuro, the Teigu in the form of a puppy, tilted its head as if understanding its newfound identity. Jinha couldn't believe her eyes as she witnessed the transformation of the cute puppy into a massive, fearsome beast.

The once tiny, adorable creature now stood tall, towering over them, exuding an aura of power and strength. Its black fur seemed to blend with the shadows around it, giving it an ethereal appearance. It had fiery red eyes, sharp fangs, and claws that could rip through anything in its path. And hands, huge bodybuilder hands filled with muscles and six-pack abs. The cute puppy had transformed into a monstrous and colossal creature.

Awe-inspiring and fearsome. It took the form of a massive humanoid creature, towering over buildings and landscapes. Its body was covered in tough, metallic pitch-black armor that provided incredible protection and durability. The armor was adorned with intricate designs and patterns, enhancing its intimidating presence.

Its eyes glowed with an intense and eerie light, reflecting its immense power and otherworldly nature. When Kuro became the beast, the surrounding environment was often engulfed in a dark aura, further accentuating the overwhelming presence of this fearsome beast. Despite its monstrous appearance, the beast remained still, waiting for his master's order. He looked so angry and powerful. Thump! Thump!

Jinha was stunned, her heart pounding with a mixture of awe and amazement with tiny bits of fear. "W-what is this...? He's a monster!"

"He's more than that," Jin explained. "Kuro is one of my servants, a loyal and powerful protector. When commanded, he can unleash his true form, capable of defending you from any danger."

Jinha's amazement grew as she watched Jin-woo command Kuro. "Kuro, show her."

With a swift nod, Kuro transformed back into the adorable puppy. Its eyes sparkled with intelligence, as if understanding the importance of its role. Jinha couldn't help but smile, a newfound sense of comfort washing over her.

"But how does he protect me?" Jinha asked, still in awe of Kuro's abilities.

Jin smiled reassuringly. "Whenever you're in danger, all you need to do is call upon Kuro, and he will be by your side, ready to defend you. He will use his immense power to shield you from harm. In his current form, you can always keep him out, and people would think he's just a normal breed of dog. And if you are at school, he can reside in your shadow so he can always be with you."

As the conversation unfolded, a pair of eyes silently observed from the shadows. Esdeath, the newly proclaimed Ice Empress, had been watching the entire scene with intrigue. She couldn't help but be impressed by Jin's care for the girl and she had promised both her and theirs not to be hurt by anyone. And now she understood why Jin especially grabbed this Teigu in the last battle.

"Jinha, you are lucky to have such a brother who gave you an amazing gift," Esdeath murmured to herself, a hint of admiration in her voice.

With Kuro by her side, Jinha now had a powerful ally, a guardian who could protect her in this new and dangerous world. She knew she could trust in Kuro's strength and loyalty, just as she trusted Oppa and his new puppy. And the friendship she had formed with Esdeath. Her oppa's Pateuneo. Noona, as she liked to be called.

As they ate together in the heart of their home, Jinha couldn't help but feel a newfound sense of confidence and determination. With Kuro by her side and the unwavering support of her oppa and his puppy, she knew she could face any challenge that lay ahead. And so, the trio was together, now Jinha ready to face whatever the future had in store for her.

…..

 POV: No One

The next morning, at the first light of the day, I directly headed to the Daesung Tower.

'Man, it's still so tall.'

A skyscraper with a hundred floors. Standing near it, you'd have to strain your neck to look up to the top.

'There are a lot of people here today.'

'But, why are there so many people around here?'

Unlike the last time, there were way too many people coming in and out of the Tower. The difference in foot traffic between nighttime and daytime was far too huge. Not only the building's entrance but the streets surrounding it were packed full as well. Guess that was the literal difference between night and day. Whether it was the lobby, entrance, or the sidewalk, people came and went nonstop.