As I reached the downtown area, I noticed the unusually large number of people on the streets.
Not only that, but some were wearing strange costumes, and for a second, I wondered if there was some kind of event happening nearby.
“Halloween?”
The question answered itself the moment I saw a flyer stuck to the glass door of an accessory shop.
It was an ad for Halloween masks, and only then did I realize—today was October 31st.
Now that I was aware of it, the bat-shaped decorations, pumpkin lanterns, and the Halloween costumes people were wearing all made sense. A good idea popped into my head.
‘Might as well use this to my advantage.’
Even with my cap pulled down low, I wasn’t comfortable showing my bare face. I’d planned to wear a mask, but on Halloween, something more fitting was available.
I went straight into a nearby toy shop and picked out a mask that wasn’t too flashy but still effective. It was completely white, with holes only around the eyes—perfect for concealing my face.
I put it on as soon as I bought it. On any other day, it might have drawn unwanted attention, but not today. The streets were packed ★ Novelight ★ with people in far more eye-catching outfits.
Now I didn’t have to worry about being recognized. Feeling more at ease, I made my way toward the open lot.
“Good evening, viewers. This is Kim Hee-jung, your reporter from HunterLive TV.”
Behind the reporter holding the mic, the open lot stretched wide. Kwon Taehyuk was visible in the distance, speaking with his secretary.
“This is the stage for the upcoming ranking match! As you can see, Hunter Kwon Taehyuk is already here and preparing for battle. It seems the mysterious challenger has yet to arrive.”
The camera panned over the metal fencing surrounding the area, showing spectators gathered just outside. Yesung Guild Hunters stood guard among the crowd, keeping things under control.
“The current time is 9:50 p.m.! The ranking match is scheduled to begin at 10. If the challenger does not appear before then, the match will automatically be canceled, as Hunter Kwon Taehyuk has stated...”
And right at that moment—
A murmur spread through the crowd on the far side of the field as something dark and fast streaked across the sky.
Tap.
Someone vaulted clean over the fence and landed in the center of the lot with a light step.
Long limbs, overlapping hood and cap, a denim jacket fluttering with the word “Cover” printed across the back.
The sudden appearance caused an immediate stir. Even the reporter’s voice grew excited.
“Did you see that? The challenger has finally appeared! This is the one who dared to send a ranking request to Hunter Kwon Taehyuk, who’s held the number one spot for the past three years!”
The cameraman swung around quickly, zooming in on the man in the denim jacket.
S-rank.
Kwon Taehyuk sensed it immediately. The air around the man, even at a glance, confirmed that he was an S-rank Awakened.
Dismissing his secretary, Kwon began walking toward him.
For some reason, the challenger—standing still until then—lifted his head at the sound of Kwon’s footsteps. Their eyes met for the first time, and Kwon immediately frowned.
A mask?
So the bastard sent in an anonymous challenge and now he wanted to hide his face, too?
With a deeply pulled-down cap, a layered hoodie, and a full black mask that covered his entire face—not even a strand of hair visible. What was this? A ninja cosplay?
The audience also began to stir at the realization that the challenger’s face was hidden. Amid the tense air, Kwon crossed his arms and spoke coldly.
“You really plan to fight me looking like that?”
The masked man tilted his head slightly.
“Well, I don’t think there’s a dress code.”
Surprisingly calm. A smooth, pleasant voice, which made it even more annoying.
Completely bundled up, yet speaking normally like it was no big deal—it was grating.
He’s definitely up to something.
Kwon clicked his tongue. He’d expected some tricks, but the blatant attempt to mask his identity was even more irritating now.
“We’ll see.”
Sighing, Kwon took off his suit jacket and handed it to his waiting secretary.
“I’ll allow the anonymity and the mask—for now. But if I win, I’ll be tearing that thing off your face myself.”
“Oh...”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Even with that sharp warning, the challenger remained unfazed. With a nonchalant hum, he raised his right hand.
Woom. With a faint vibrating sound, a long black shape appeared in his empty hand—his longsword, summoned from inventory.
“You were kind enough to accept this sudden match. I do have a conscience, you know.”
He answered with a hint of laughter in his voice, drawing the sword with steady hands. Kwon couldn’t deny it—the guy had good form. No wasted movement.
In response, Kwon began drawing out his own energy. His dark-blue hair fluttered in the wind as his sharp eyes fixed on his opponent.
I barely made it to the open lot in time and was immediately stunned by the size of the crowd.
‘Seriously? This many people?’
Sure, it was a ranking match. But it had been set up at the last minute, and no one even knew who the challenger was. I figured only a few onlookers would show up.
Clearly, I’d been too optimistic.
“This is overwhelming...”
I sighed quietly from atop a tree, where I’d climbed to avoid being seen. Looking out over the sea of spectators surrounding the lot, I felt my anxiety spike.
I’d have to fight Kwon Taehyuk right there, one-on-one, in front of that many people? And on top of that, the cameras from multiple broadcasters?
“Hunter Kwon Taehyuk is already preparing for battle. The challenger has yet to arrive...”
The reporter’s cheery voice carried all the way to where I crouched.
Yeah, I’m here. But I’d really like to turn around and run.
I let out another long sigh. This cheap two-dollar mask I was wearing itched, the double-layered hoodie and cap combo felt stifling, and I was about to face off against the nation’s top Hunter while being recorded from every angle.
‘First it’s “gain their trust,” now it’s “defeat Rank 1”... make up your damn mind.’
These main quests were seriously getting ridiculous.
Get close to the protagonist and earn their trust, and beat them in combat to take the number one spot? What kind of contradictory bullshit was that?
If I didn’t have the Hidden Skill that let me change appearance, I would’ve failed one way or the other from the start.
‘This system window has no consistency whatsoever...’
The more I thought about it, the more my head hurt. But it wasn’t like I could quit now. No point wasting energy complaining. Better to just get this ranking match over with.
I checked the time: ten minutes to the match.
Stepping off the tree branch, I leapt high into the air—hand pressed to my cap to keep it from flying off—and landed neatly in the center of the fenced-off lot.
“Did you see that? The challenger has finally appeared!”
The second I entered, all eyes were on me. The pressure was unreal, nothing like watching from the sidelines.
“This is the Hunter who boldly challenged Kwon Taehyuk, who’s held the top rank for the past three years!”
Yeah, that idiot... is me.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I lifted my gaze and met Kwon Taehyuk’s eyes. As I arrived on time, he stepped toward me and said,
“You really plan to fight me looking like that?”
“Uh, I don’t think there’s any restrictions on clothing.”
I gave an awkward smile as I adjusted my mask.
Thank god for Halloween. If I hadn’t picked up this mask on the way here, he’d have seen every last uncomfortable expression on my face.
‘It’s not like I want to fight...’
I sighed internally and glanced upward. Sure enough, the system window was blinking above my head, hurrying me along.
《Main Quest: Defeat the current Rank 1 Hunter “Kwon Taehyuk” and claim Rank 1 (Remaining Time: 1 hour 22 minutes)》
I’d chosen the match time to match his schedule, so there wasn’t much time left.
To avoid any surprises, I needed to finish this within an hour.
I reached into my inventory and pulled out my longsword.

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