“Wh-What?!”

“What do you mean, what? I’m here to do my job.”

“Ugh, damn it…”

“So, why did you approach?”

“…”

“Oh? Suddenly silent?”

“Hmph. You can’t kill me anyway. There are several CCTVs here.”

“Ah, is that what you want to believe?”

Min Yu Shin laughed, speaking in a clear voice as if he had never been drunk.

This person was on the danger list. Originally an A-rank hunter, this woman had no need to come for such a support position. Especially while pretending to be inexperienced.

“Well, I was just planning to threaten a bit and leave…”

The man called the shadow of the night laughed. Before the other could react to sensing something amiss, Min Yu Shin had stabbed a knife into their throat.

“Ugh, e-even if you do this, you won’t get away…”

“Well, if I keep doing this, I might end up on the villain list someday.”

“Gurk…”

“But this is my mission, you see.”

With a laugh in his voice, the figure collapsed. But the flowing blood didn’t reach the floor. He laughed as he absorbed the soon-to-be corpse into the shadows.

Cheon Shin Woo, the strongest in Korea, had many enemies. While some tried to justify his actions, regardless, those who hated him were overflowing.

Since they couldn’t do anything to Cheon Shin Woo directly, naturally many tried to use his precious younger sister to cause him pain.

He didn’t know how the information had leaked or that trash would be following so soon, but still.

‘As for disposing of the body… I can do it roughly.’

Cheon Shin Woo had many worries. His concerns were valid yet invalid at the same time. His sister was not weak. She had the ability to protect herself and the judgment to handle situations.

Sometimes, to Min Yu Shin, it seemed Cheon Shin Woo wasn’t just worried about her getting hurt.

Perhaps, a slightly different worry…

‘Well, I just need to do my job.’

Anyway, the CCTVs won’t be able to show what happened here, nor will they be able to identify Min Yu Shin as the culprit. There’s a reason the assassin class is called the assassin class.

Having cleanly finished his task, he melted back into the shadows.

As days passed like that, nothing special happened. As if the first day’s gate reinforcement request was something unusual, uneventful days went by.

To be honest, it would be a lie to say I didn’t have expectations. Why wouldn’t I? Even without that, S-rank gates keep popping up wherever I go. I wasn’t hoping for a large-scale incident, but I thought there might be something I could handle with my abilities… but nope. Nothing.

Because some people who worked together yesterday were absent without notice, today it was just me, Min Yu Shin, and one association employee. Even with reduced staff, there was still nothing to do.

“You! Do you know who I am?! I’m going to- I’m going to file a complaint! Then your neck, your neck! Can a civil servant living off taxpayer money oppress innocent citizens like this?! Huh?”

“Yes, you can make other statements at the station.”

…I carried out my public duties rather peacefully.

After subduing the awakened troublemaker, while resting on a bench, the association hunter in charge of me bought a drink from the vending machine. It was a drink famous for being polarizing… Was it on purpose?

“You look bored.”

“Well, yes…”

“Today is particularly uneventful. Usually on days like this, something big happens…”

“Haha. I heard the association is always busy. But it’s less than I expected…”

“It really is busy. Seems like you know someone who told you.”

“Well, yes…”

As if I just know someone. Half my memories are at the association. I gave an awkward smile. I wondered why Baek Yi Hyun recommended this job to me.

Reading my expression, the association employee started talking while drinking pine needle tea.

“I often see that expression on people who apply to the association, especially those who patrol with me. But even if our work seems trivial, it’s actually important.”

“I’m sure it is, right?”

“Um… if you don’t mind me asking, why did you apply here, Ha Young?”

“Pardon?”

“For money, to gain experience, to build connections, just bad luck… People come here for various reasons, but they often look particularly disappointed.”

“Oh, was it that obvious?”

“Not really that obvious.”

A stinging feeling rose from deep inside. I felt ashamed for being disappointed when I had no reason to be. Had I been hoping to somehow understand without properly thinking about what I wanted?

Before I could think of what to say.

“Yes, I understand. We’ll be right there.”

Just as he said something big happens on days like this, a major incident really did occur.

“Shin Ah.”

“What?”

“You… actually enjoy this kind of thing, don’t you?”

“Oh come on, what are you saying! I don’t!”

Min Yu Shin often said mischievous things. I wondered if this person was really here as my bodyguard, or if he existed just to tease his friend’s younger sister.

“Indeed… As expected of Shin Woo’s sister.”

“Oh stop it!”

To explain the situation: We hadn’t received any reports of gate problems, but for some reason an A-rank monster was roaming the streets.

We were called to catch it, and now Min Yu Shin was saying things like ‘Isn’t the hidden powerhouse enjoying solving this crisis?’

Others seemed quite tense at the appearance of an A-rank monster. Meanwhile, some people with a false sense of security were saying they’d just take one photo and leave, or getting angry about why they couldn’t pass. It was a total mess.

“Hmph, what’s so special about an A-rank? The gates I’ve been to…”

There were even people saying things like this.

“Ha Young and Yu Shin, can you control the crowd over there?”

“Yes, understood.”

“And Jae Min, please provide support over here. It’s fortunate we have someone experienced.”

“Oh, uh? Okay.”

It was rare, but the person in overall command was quick to assess the situation. People everywhere were struggling because we happened to be short-staffed.

Our supervising association hunter, wearing a very apologetic expression, quickly left his post, saying they don’t usually send volunteers together but had no choice this time due to lack of manpower.

Controlling the crowd itself wasn’t difficult. There were occasionally some excited-looking students with cameras, but Min Yu Shin took care of turning them away. As expected of an experienced hunter.

“What if the monster comes this way?”

“That won’t happen. Besides, you’re a hidden powerhouse too, aren’t you, Secretary?”

“Come on, you and I are different.”

“How are we diff- Wait! You can’t go that way!”

“I know. You said a monster appeared, right? I’ll just take a quick look from here and go.”

“No, please turn back.”

“Ugh, I said I’ll just look from far away for a moment!”

Min Yu Shin’s teasing was already annoying, and now even more annoying people showed up. I considered using my skill to send those people away.

“And if a monster appeared, shouldn’t you catch it quickly? This is blocking the road.”

“Please turn around and…”

“If I’m late because of this, will you take responsibility? Huh?”

An amused expression appeared on Min Yu Shin’s face. Just as I thought I should quickly drive them away.

“Awoooooo-!”

The situation I feared became reality.

“Huh? What’s that sound…”

“See, I told you to leave when I said so!”

I only heard it was an A-rank monster, not what kind, but it seems to be a werewolf type. When the giant howl rang out, the troublemakers fell to one knee.

‘A fear-type skill…!’

Of course, werewolves have fear-based attacks. Ordinary people without mental barriers or resistance will be paralyzed by that skill.

Three things happened simultaneously: I threw myself to push away a nearby person, Min Yu Shin threw a dagger to attack the giant werewolf’s leg, and the red-eyed werewolf charged at the kneeling people.

“Ugh, ugggh…”

Those who had boldly said they’d just watch from afar couldn’t do anything when an A-rank monster actually appeared, and just sat down. Something felt off.

“Hmm? This isn’t a normal state?”

As expected, the experienced Min Yu Shin quickly caught what was strange. I added to that.

“They’re already fighting over there. Seems they’re struggling…”

“We should catch this ourselves, right?”

“Will you be okay? I heard the assassin class specializes in human combat, so they’re weak against monsters in terms of critical hits.”

“That’s true.”

Min Yu Shin’s smiling face showed not a hint of trouble, but rather looked excited. I turned my gaze from him to the monster.

Excessive frenzy, and drool dripping from its mouth. Movements that seemed purely destructive rather than targeting anything specific.

Min Yu Shin attacked first, but it just swung its arm. He dodged the movement smoothly but couldn’t land any meaningful attacks.

“Huh, huaaah…”

By then, the paralysis on the people had worn off, but they just crawled backwards with frightened expressions. Seeing an A-rank monster seemed to affect their bodies, as their movements weren’t proper.

“Aaah, aaaaaah-!”

Just as I thought I could support Min Yu Shin now that the people seemed okay, an ear-piercing scream rang out. The werewolf that had been wildly swinging its arms like it was angry at failing to catch an insect looked this way. Damn it!

“Sa-save, save meee…”

Instead of properly running away, someone I had just saved screamed uselessly without getting far.

If they had just screamed it would have been fine, but the problem was that scream drew the werewolf’s aggro, causing the monster to attack in my direction.