Suwon – The Morning After
The city buzzed like never before.
Phones rang nonstop. News vans crowded intersections. Livestreams replayed shaky footage in slow motion.
And in every corner of the internet, one name trended above all:
> "Crimson Guardian."
The boy who stopped the void entity alone.
The boy who split the sea with a step.
Who erased a creature that no Hunter dared to classify.
And yet—no one knew who he was.
No name.
No ID.
No registered aura.
Just a hoodie… and those unmistakable crimson eyes.
---
At School – Suwon High
Jung Ha-Joon walked through the front gate like usual, his backpack slung over one shoulder.
But now, heads turned.
More than whispers followed him this time—stares.
Even teachers paused mid-sentence.
He'd worn clear contact lenses this morning.
His expression was calm.
But Baek Seo-Yeon wasn't fooled.
She walked beside him silently in the corridor.
> "It was you, wasn't it?" she said, voice barely above a whisper.
He didn't answer.
But he didn't deny it.
> "You could've let that thing destroy the city," she added.
Still, he said nothing.
> "But you didn't."
That made him pause.
And then—
> "Because this is my home," he replied simply.
---
Hunter Association – Underground Task Force Room
The room was dark.
Only the table in the center was lit, covered in photos, drone stills, energy scans, and dozens of failed attempts to trace the boy's mana.
One voice broke the tension:
> "We've checked every hunter registry. Every awakened report. Every training facility."
> "Nothing."
Another analyst pointed at the footage.
> "This one frame… his foot hit the ground, and the ocean parted. That's beyond S-rank."
> "It's not mana. It's something else."
A third voice—calm and older—spoke from the shadows.
> "He isn't awakening."
> "He's returning."
---
Elsewhere – Aboard a Private Aircraft
A man in a black suit poured wine into a glass while reviewing footage on a tablet.
His face remained expressionless.
> "He's the real one," he said coldly.
Across the seat, a woman in a red scarf nodded.
> "Then do we contact him?"
> "No."
> "Do we kill him?"
The man paused.
> "...We observe."
> "If he's a guardian—let him guard. But if he's a god—"
He sipped the wine.
> "—then we'll need a god-killer."
---
At Home – Ha-Joon's Room
He sat by the window, looking out at the quiet neighborhood.
His mother was hanging laundry.
His sister was texting a friend.
The TV inside replayed yesterday's footage—this time with dramatic music and digital enhancements.
> "Public hysteria will fade," he murmured.
> "They'll turn it into a mascot story soon enough."
Still… his family didn't know.
They hadn't realized the one the world was searching for had quietly finished dinner beside them just last night.
> "Let it stay that way," he whispered.
---
That Night – On the Rooftop
Baek Seo-Yeon found him there again.
She didn't say anything at first.
Just sat beside him, watching the moon rise over Suwon.
> "You know they're looking for you, right?" she finally said.
He nodded.
> "You're not afraid?"
> "No."
She frowned. "Why not?"
He looked at her, calm but distant.
> "Because there's nothing they can take from me anymore."
> "Not time. Not freedom. Not life."
She stared at him, unsure what to say.
Then asked, "Were you… always like this?"
He smiled, faint and sad.
> "No. I used to be weaker than everyone."
> "I was just a boy running errands for his family."
---
Elsewhere – Inside a Sealed Chamber
In a hidden facility, ten monitors flickered.
Each one displayed one of the remaining nine gates scattered across the globe.
Still dormant.
But pulsing slowly.
Like hearts preparing to beat.
One scientist stared at them.
> "When the first gate opened, the Crimson Guardian appeared."
> "Will he come for these, too?"
Her superior narrowed his eyes.
> "Let's hope he does."
> "Because if he doesn't… then nothing else can stop what's coming."
---
Final Scene – Ha-Joon's Thoughts Before Sleep
Lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, Ha-Joon didn't close his eyes.
He didn't need to.
Sleep came when he allowed it.
But tonight, something in his heart stirred.
Not fear.
But... an ache.
A reminder that peace was still fragile.
And that his quiet days were numbered.
He touched his chest lightly.
No system.
No interface.
Just stillness.
And then, faintly—like a whisper carried by the wind—
> "We are watching you, Crimson One."
He smiled.
> "Good."
> "Then you know what's waiting for you."
---