SSS-Class Hunter Goes On Vacation (4 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 5

Leaving piles of entertainment scattered all over the house and lying down to gaze at the ceiling felt far better than she’d expected.

“Not bad at all.”

It was almost as if she’d truly returned to her real age.

Su Ji gave a small, bright, girlish smile.

Ever since enrolling in the academy, she had always been the subject of her teachers’ high expectations and frequently compared to promising talents from abroad.

As Daphne, she took pride in effortlessly meeting those external expectations and gazes. And she also wanted to repay the other hunters who had witnessed her mother’s death alongside her.

Perhaps because of that, she had lived her life constantly pushed forward by remarks like, “She’s mature for the daughter of S-rank Hunter Pheneios.”

That sense of duty and thirst for vengeance had served as strong motivation for her.

“But maybe I’ve missed out on too much by living like that.”

Even now, the same feeling lingered.

The moment she let her guard down even slightly, she’d immediately be gripped by the urge to work hard as if being chased.

Just as always—81st floor, then the 82nd, then the 83rd…

She’d never been satisfied with what she’d accomplished; instead, she’d always lived preparing for what came next.

Her mother’s revenge still wasn’t fully complete.

Over time, she had hunted monsters floor by floor in the Tower. Even though she’d clearly surpassed the height her mother had reached, she still hadn’t encountered the monster that had taken her mother’s life.

Now, everything was starting to feel increasingly uncertain.

Su Ji tightly shut her dry eyes.

No one even recognized her efforts. Or rather—even if they did, she no longer cared.

“…If I keep living like this, I’ll be obsolete in no time.”

Climbing the Tower or clearing Gates was, in a way, a battle of information.

Whenever Daphne struggled to break through to the next floor, she’d spend long hours combining dozens of skills, analyzing precise timing, holding discussions, and running simulations.

While stepping back, the very way she synthesized vast amounts of information would surely change too.

“But since I feel it’s alright this way…”

Luckily, she had plenty of things she wanted to do.

She wanted to lounge around watching ambitious new releases from the ever-growing number of OTT platforms, travel into fantasy worlds to play games like choosing dormitories or cultivating her own island.

Lost in thought, Su Ji opened her eyes and rummaged through her tablet to find a memo.

Sometime ago, she’d created a checklist marked with things she’d always meant to try once she had free time—her list of hobbies-to-do:

1. Try cooking and eating a meal myself

2. Grow plants

3. Raise a pet

4. Decorate my home

5. Play games

6. Watch hit movies, anime, and dramas on OTT

7. Read bestselling novels

8. Invite grateful people over for a party

9. Learn an exercise routine

10. Draw pictures

11. Do volunteer work

Holding a stylus, Su Ji clicked thoughtfully on her tablet, then underlined item number 5 twice.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Are you kidding? They’re selling radishes this cheap?”

Su Ji complained, sitting in a messy sprawl under a blanket, joystick in hand.

But even complaining felt fun.

She’d assumed a life with nothing to do and no one telling her what to do would be dull and boring.

Instead, it was surprisingly satisfying.

She’d never understood why people played games when she was busy, but now that she was idle and lazing around, games had become enjoyable. Though different from the accomplishments she usually pursued, they still gave her a sense of achievement.

When she got bored, she’d lie down to watch videos on OTT and order food from popular restaurants.

It was a bit annoying having to request delivery all the way to the Gate and then go pick it up herself, but still—it wasn’t bad.

“…This is actually fun?”

She’d thought that if she just lazed around, she’d hate herself for being idle and undisciplined.

But now that she’d actually tried it, she felt that if every day could be like this—just relaxing and playing—she could live like this forever.

Clack, clack.

To avoid getting chip crumbs on her joystick, Su Ji used chopsticks to pick up potato chips and popped them in her mouth, then dove back into decorating her island.

[This is the timeline separator]

While Su Ji was happily immersed in her game, the online hunter forums were in complete chaos, as if a bomb had just exploded.

Top-Ranked Hunter Daphne’s Sudden Disappearance

Korea’s #1 Hunter, SSS-rank Daphne—suddenly halted record updates. What happened to Daphne?

The Mysterious Whereabouts of SSS-Rank Hunter Daphne (Special Feature on Daphne’s Achievements)

Though Daphne had only gone missing for a week, news articles about her absence poured in, and the internet was buzzing.

[Title: Where Did Lady Daphne Go?

I’m such a hardcore Daphne fan—I can’t even eat or poop unless I see her break records every day… But she hasn’t shown up since a few days ago…

Right? Lady Daphne would never skip the Tower like this.

But she’s really not showing up!!!! Does anyone know anything?

└Same. Me too. I’m just waiting for news… Hope she’s not hurt?

└How could Lady Daphne get hurt? Do you even know her stats? Unless it was an S-rank disaster.

└Honestly, anything could happen inside the Tower—it’s completely uncharted territory.

└I work in public service, so I know something… But it’s classified, so can’t really say.

└└What is it?

└└It’s illegal to build suspense and then not tell us.

└└Please just tell us. What’s going on?

└└Well, I’m not 100% sure, so I’m being cautious… but it seems like she just hasn’t shown up for work. If she were hurt, we’d have gotten word by now. But there’s been nothing…

└└└Admin Notice: This comment appears to disclose suspected leakage of hunter personal information. Please delete within 10 minutes.

└└└[Comment deleted by administrator.]] [Title: Did Lady Daphne Emigrate?

I heard even A-rank hunters—not just S-rank—get tons of immigration offers.

But Lady Daphne’s SSS-rank!

She must be getting insane offers!

They’d throw tons of money and support at her, right?

But what does Korea do for her? Just let her become fodder for bored netizens jabbering away online?

└She might’ve actually emigrated. Honestly, among all SSS-rank hunters, only Lady Daphne has been this diligent about Tower runs. That’s why Korea stays permanently ranked #1 in Tower progression. Yet people never appreciated her.

└└Facts.

└└Real talk.

└She didn’t emigrate—might’ve gotten offers, but she didn’t go.

└└How do you know that?

└└If Lady Daphne had emigrated, the national ranking would’ve instantly dropped. But it hasn’t changed. Right?

└└Ah, that checks out.

└The Korean government must be handling this well.

└But it’s true our hunters get treated poorly.

└└Maybe not someone as legendary as Lady Daphne?] [Title: Are You All Freaking Out Over Just One Week of Not Seeing Daphne?

Honestly, isn’t this totally over-the-top?

Do you even understand Daphne’s attention-seeking level?

She’ll probably show up again soon on her own.

└Who even are you?

└Who lets mentally unstable kids post like this?

└But they’re not entirely wrong—she’s not the type to get into real trouble. She’ll be back soon.

└I filed a report.

└Reported too222

└If you’re gonna go crazy, shut up and do it quietly at home. The attention-seeker here is you.

└Don’t feed the trolls. You’re the problem. Why even reply?]

[This is the timeline separator]

Contrary to public opinion that Daphne would return soon, her disappearance continued for nearly a month.

There was no immediate negative impact on reality.

Waves kept arriving, but mostly C- or D-rank monsters appeared—well within the capabilities of the Hunter Response Unit’s civil servants.

Moreover, Korea provided more hunter buffs than any other nation, and strategies for B-rank and below monsters had long been explored and shared by pioneer Tower climbers.

There was simply no urgent need to summon an SSS-rank hunter.

Yet, anxiety slowly took root in people’s hearts.

Whenever two or three gathered, they’d whisper about Daphne’s absence, and online forums were flooded entirely with speculative posts about her whereabouts.

[Title: Shrine for Lady Daphne’s Safe Return

I’ll come here every day to pray until Lady Daphne returns.

└Lady Daphne, please come back.

└Lady Daphne, just let us know you’re okay.

└Lady Daphne, you’re alright, right?] [Title: Where Did All the People Go Who Said Daphne Would Return in a Week?

What happened to those idiots who called our Lady Daphne an attention-seeker?

Got fingers to curse with, but no brains to apologize?

I’m genuinely worried about this country’s future.

Have some shame.

└Exactly. Treat people like human beings.

└We really should live with gratitude.

└If I were Daphne, I wouldn’t come back either lol. So many people have no idea how hard she works, yet they call her an attention-seeker. Who’d want to keep working?

└I volunteer to receive all the backlash from ? to ?

└333] [Title: I Don’t Know the Full Details, But

If Lady Daphne isn’t facing some major crisis,

I hope she takes this chance to rest well.

└Yeah, seriously—Daphne just turned 20, right? Prime age to enjoy life, yet she’s been stuck doing Tower runs all this time.

└Exactly. It’s just ignorant kids talking nonsense… Anyone who’s actually been to the Tower’s top floors would never say such things. You see people die with your own eyes… it’s utterly devastating.

└I’d heard it was tough, but had no idea it was this bad. I feel kinda reflective now.

└How could you not know? This is basic stuff covered even in hunter orientation. Honestly, everyone just pretends not to know because it’s not their problem.

└Everyone keeps saying “Goddess Daphne” so much, she seems otherworldly… like she’s not even human… like everything must be easy for her, even Tower runs…

└This is exactly why thoughtless online chatter is such a problem.

└Agreed. I hope she takes this chance to rest and heal without any worries.]