The Dungeon Cleaning Life of a Once Genius Hunter

“Hunter Kim Junwoo! How does it feel to become the world’s first SSS-rank hunter?”

“You’ve reached the top of the global rankings just a year after becoming Korea’s number-one hunter. What are your future goals?”

“We’ve heard that the International Hunter Association has scouted you. Is that true?”

“This dungeon is classified as extremely high-risk. Could you share a word of determination before the raid?”

“What advice would you give to juniors who look up to you?”

Standing before the swarm of microphones thrust toward me, I cleared my throat.

It had been a long time since I last participated in an operation.

I didn’t recall announcing it to the world, but the area in front of the dungeon was already packed with reporters, crowding like flocks of birds.

It wasn’t surprising. It had been rare for me to personally join a raid in the past year, so for them, today was an opportunity not to be missed.

“I apologize. I’ll address your questions later through the association. For now, I want to focus solely on the raid.”

The response seemed expected.

It wasn’t the answer they wanted, but their expressions showed it was sufficient. After all, just being able to broadcast my voice was a significant gain for them.

Of course, leaving it at that wouldn’t be polite.

“One thing I can say for certain is that my team and I prioritize the safety of civilians above all else. That will never change.”

A model answer delivered in a serious tone.

After exchanging glances, the reporters, who had been eagerly thrusting their microphones forward, began pulling them back.

“Well then.”

At my final remark, they hesitated momentarily before stepping aside to clear the way.

My subordinates and I, Team 1 of the operation, moved toward the dungeon entrance along the newly opened path.

The previously chaotic surroundings had grown solemn before I even realized it.

No one blocked our path or threw more questions our way.

Naturally so.

Today, the 16 hunters chosen for the raid were among the nation’s elite.

The heavy tension among them.

Those willing to risk their lives to protect civilians—no one could dare to stop them…

“Hunter Kim Junwoo! Do you have any comments about the recent ‘clean-up team assault incident’ that’s been making waves?”

A loud voice broke through the silence from behind me.

“…Pardon?”

Startled by the unexpected content, I turned my head reflexively, doubting my ears.

“You know, the incident where you supposedly assaulted a dungeon clean-up team member? Threw him against a wall or something?”

“What…?”

“Come on, I get that you’d want to deny it, but I’ve heard some things. Turns out the person who got hit knows me.”

A young man smiled with a mixture of anger and mockery.

“Wow, but being ranked number one in the world sure is impressive. Beating up someone old enough to be your father, and not a single article about it? Amazing.”

“…”

I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes.

The remaining reporters’ gazes all turned toward me simultaneously.

Forcing myself to stay composed, I managed a faint smile.

“A distasteful rumor.”

I barely managed to spit out the words and turned away.

Ignoring the young man as best I could, I hurriedly stepped into the dungeon as though fleeing.

“Anyway, good luck with today’s raid, Hunter Kim Junwoo.”

His voice trailed after me until the very end.

***

Korea Dimensional Management Association.

The Association.

An organization established to protect the nation and its citizens from dungeons and monsters that appear sporadically.

The Association gathered individuals with supernatural abilities and formed four teams dedicated to dungeon raids.

Among them, those responsible for the actual raids are known as the Operations Teams, colloquially referred to as “hunters.”

The most elite among these teams is Operation Team 1.

Fifty members in total.
Each member is one of the top hunters in the country.
The team boasts a 100% success rate in raids, making it the strongest in the nation.

And the leader of that team is none other than…

“The World’s First SSS-Rank Hunter, Kim Junwoo—Or Is He an SSS-Rank Assault Hunter? Click for Full Article.”

***

“What’s up with that guy?”

An enraged voice filled the car speeding down the highway.

“Why are you so worked up? You just finished a raid successfully.”

The woman in the driver’s seat, a short-haired member of the support team and my personal assistant, Chief Lee, spoke while glancing at me in the rearview mirror. Her tone remained flat and emotionless, as usual.

“Are you seriously asking because you don’t know? I told you to make sure that incident didn’t leak!”

“I did.”

“Then how did it get out? The whole internet is on fire!”

“…”

I threw my phone onto the passenger seat.

Even so, Chief Lee didn’t flinch, keeping her gaze firmly on the road.

“The World’s Top Hunter, Personality Under Fire.”
“Verbal and Physical Abuse Against Dungeon Clean-Up Crew! The True Face of Kim Junwoo?”
“Not His First Time? More Allegations Surface.”
“A ‘Hero’ in Public, an ‘Abuser’ in Private.”
“The World’s Strongest Under Scrutiny; The Association Claims Ignorance.”
“Kim Junwoo in the Spotlight; Concerns Over Failed Scout by International Hunter Association.”

The phone’s screen was filled with sensational headlines.

Though the articles were mostly speculative for now, they were littered with conjecture and accusations.

However, the thousands of comments already posted were unified in their tone:
An outpouring of criticism and curses directed at me.

In just a few hours, my title of “hunter” had been twisted into “monster.”

“What’s that reporter’s affiliation? Goryeo Daily? Central Daily?”

“He’s not a reporter.”

“…What?”

“He’s not a journalist. Just an ordinary citizen.”

“What the hell do you mean? How would a regular guy even know about this?”

“He said he’s the son. The son of Park Geuntae, the team leader of the dungeon clean-up crew.”

Damn it.

I raked my hand through my hair as though trying to wring out the frustration.

“The problem isn’t just this incident. Riding the current wave of public sentiment, testimonies about past events are pouring in too. Things are only going to get worse. For now, I suggest you stay at home and take some time off. Since you don’t have any upcoming operations scheduled, think of it as a vacation…”

“Chief Lee.”

I leaned forward and met her eyes through the rearview mirror.

“I hate nothing more than people who get in my way.”

“I’m aware.”

“If you know, then fix it. If this gets any worse, it’s over.”

“…I’ll do my best.”

With her usual expressionless face and indifferent tone, she responded.

Sigh, it’s not like I’m talking to a machine…

“Forget it. What did the Association President say?”

With nothing more I could do at the moment, I shifted the conversation to another topic.

“Nothing much. He’s busy with the International Association scout issue, so he seems content to wait for things to settle down…”

“What a joke. When he says nothing, it just means he doesn’t even want to talk to me. Who knows? He might cut ties altogether soon.”

“…Is that so?”

“Hah, after all the results I’ve handed that guy on a silver platter, if this is how he acts, I won’t just sit back and take it.”

“Nothing serious will happen. No matter how bad public opinion gets, your rank won’t change. The scout offer won’t fall through either.”

“Of course, it shouldn’t.”

With a deep sigh, I leaned back into the rear seat.

I stared silently at the streetlights flashing past the car window.

When I first saw the articles right after the raid, the rage that surged up was indescribable.

My team members had scrambled to stop me from confronting the reporter. They practically shoved me into the car and begged Chief Lee to drive me straight to the Association without taking any detours.

Though I’d calmed down a little since then, my anger was far from gone.

The youngest hunter in the country.
The first S-rank in Korea.
The world’s first SSS-rank.
Number one in Korea, and number one in the world.

And now, a scout offer from the International Hunter Association.

All the titles I’d built up over years were torn to shreds in an instant. Who wouldn’t be furious?

Still, I’ll give them this—they’ve got guts. Thinking they can block my path like that.

Of course, the price for such arrogance will be…

“So, why did you do it?”

Lost in thought, I was jolted by Chief Lee breaking the silence.

“I told you, he grabbed me by the collar first.”

“I mean, what was the reason for him grabbing your collar? You’ve never been particularly fond of the clean-up team, but this is the first time you’ve had a direct confrontation with them.”

“…I don’t know. I don’t even remember.”

Chief Lee didn’t respond. Judging by her expression, she didn’t intend to press further.

“Anyway, when we get to the Association, that Park… Park… Damn, what’s his name again?”

“Park Geuntae, the team leader.”

“Yeah, him. Bring him to me.”

“For what reason?”

“We need to clean this up, don’t we? At least make it look like we’ve reached a settlement.”

“Understood.”

“Tch, these people… always trying to tear down anyone doing well…”

I was muttering to myself when, suddenly—

“Hey, hey!! Look out!!”

A truck, driving in the opposite lane, veered across the centerline and came hurtling toward us.

Screeeeech—!

A string of curses erupted from Chief Lee, accompanied by the piercing screech of brakes. My body was violently flung to one side.

Just as the oncoming truck’s blinding high beams completely swallowed my vision—

“Time’s up!”

[Skill Acquired: Time Out]
[Skill Activated]

A radiant light burst from my fingertips.

***

In that moment, the truck abruptly froze in place, and Chief Lee seized the chance to veer the car away.

“Huff… huff…”

Even the usually unflappable Chief Lee was visibly shaken, her breaths ragged and uneven.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that we had barely scraped by.

If I had been even a second slower, the pavement would’ve been painted red.

But more than that…

That truck hadn’t even tried to stop.

“What the hell? Is that guy drunk?!”

“…I-I don’t know.”

“Ugh, just great. Stay here. I’m going to get a good look at whoever’s behind that wheel.”

I slammed the door shut and stormed toward the truck, which sat tilted in the middle of the road.

Bang!

Suddenly, the world turned upside down.

The ground became the sky, and the sky became the ground. At first, I thought it was vertigo.

What… the…?

It felt like several seconds had passed.

The world was still inverted, with no sign of the dizziness subsiding.

Only then did I realize what had happened.

What the hell is this…?!

I was floating in mid-air.

I wasn’t sure if my body had been flung, or my neck had snapped, but my vision spun endlessly.

Then I saw it: another truck barreling toward me, crossing the centerline.

What, did everyone decide to get high today?

The thought flashed through my mind as—

Bang. Bang.

Bang-bang-bang.

Five? No, six trucks?

With each collision, my body kept flying through the air. After the brief flight, I finally hit the ground, only to be met with—

Bang—

BOOM—

Ratatat—!!!

Gunfire, bombs, and every conceivable weapon imaginable rained down.

“…Ugh.”

Despite it all, the fact that I was still conscious meant I wasn’t dead.

I’d survived over a thousand battles in life-threatening dungeons.

This wouldn’t kill me.

At least, that’s what I thought.

Click—

A cold blue gun barrel pressed against my head.

It was a dungeon raid firearm, a Titan-class weapon.

Now that’s a problem…!

Before I could think further, everything went black.

***

In the pitch-black void that swallowed everything—

[Critical damage detected in lungs, heart, liver, brain, and other organs.]
[Cardiac arrest confirmed.]
[Calculating survival probability…]
[Survival probability: 0%.]
[Your death has been confirmed.]

A voice pierced through my mind, not my ears.

[As a result of your death, the hidden skill acquisition condition has been fulfilled.]
[Hidden Skill: Retribution.]
[Due to the hidden skill, you will regress to 10 years in the past.]
[Your new occupation will be assigned based on the karma of your previous life.]
[Assigning occupation…]
[Occupation assignment complete.]
[Your occupation: Member of the Korean Dimensional Management Association.]
[Assigned to the Dungeon Clean-Up Team.]