Kairiki

Level 18: Korea's 15th S-Rank Hunter

[The evening air was cool, and the streets of Seoul were lively as the city began to transition into the night. Neon lights illuminated the sidewalks, casting a colorful glow over the bustling crowd. Hydro sat alone at a table in a small, cozy Korean restaurant. The sizzling sound of Samgyeopsal on the grill filled the air, along with the savory aroma of the cooking meat. Hydro wasn't paying much attention to his surroundings, though; his mind was far away, trapped in the past.]

[As he flipped a piece of pork belly on the grill, a series of vivid flashbacks assaulted his mind. The first memory was of the treacherous lizards-a group of hunters who had betrayed him in a dungeon not so long ago. He remembered their sneering faces, the way they had looked down on him, assuming that he was just a weakling hiding behind his gear. The leader of the group, a man named Park, had offered Jongho an ultimatum: end Hydro's life, or face death himself.]

[Hydro's eyes darkened as he recalled Jongho's refusal to betray him. Park had responded with cold cruelty, ordering his team to eliminate the 'weaker' hunter first. In that moment, the System had sent Hydro a message, commanding him to slay the six hunters who intended to kill him. But before he could act, Kai, the mage of the group, had attacked, launching a powerful spell that sent Hydro crashing into the dungeon wall.]

[The scene skipped forward in his mind, bypassing the chaos that followed. The next thing Hydro remembered was standing amidst the aftermath. The bodies of the lizards' members had turned into coins, just like something out of a video game. The stylized violence was eerily reminiscent of Scott Pilgrim, but the memory was anything but amusing. It was a moment that had forced Hydro to confront the harsh realities of his new life.]

[There was one last hunter to deal with, and Hydro did so without hesitation. He hadn't known what the 'lizards' were until Francinilson explained it to him later, providing clues that helped him understand the treachery that ran deep among certain hunters.]

[As the memory faded, another one took its place. Hydro was back in his apartment, alone. He stood in front of a mirror, a pair of scissors in hand. His hair was longer than it had ever been, a reminder of the person he used to be. Without a second thought, Hydro began to cut his hair, each snip a symbolic act. He watched the strands fall to the floor, feeling a strange sense of detachment. The change was necessary. He couldn't afford to be soft anymore. A part of him-his old self-had to die.]

[The memory shifted again, this time to a dungeon where he had fought against Choi. The battle had been intense, pushing both of them to their limits. But something had changed in Hydro during that fight. He had felt a bloodlust he hadn't experienced before, a primal urge to destroy everything in his path. The memory was vivid, and the emotion was raw. Hydro clenched his fist as the flashback faded, his eyes narrowing as he returned to the present.]

[Hydro's expression was serious, his thoughts racing. He was a criminal, a murderer even. But what choice did he have? The Interface dictated his actions, giving him quests that he had to complete, or else he would die. The weight of that reality pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe.]

[Just as Hydro was lost in his thoughts, his phone rang, snapping him back to reality. The screen displayed a familiar name: Katie Mitchell. Hydro hesitated for a moment before answering the call.]

KATIE: Hey, Hydro! Thank you for inviting me to the raid, even though someone... passed away. Hey, where are you? I haven't seen you come out of the gate. We're having a family dinner here, so... well, I don't think I'll bother you by asking you to come here. Anyways, how are you?

[Katie's voice was casual, almost too casual given what had happened during the raid. There was no fear, no anger, just a strange sense of normalcy. Hydro struggled to find his voice, his nervousness evident in his response.]