The night fell. Minho had totally transformed from the E-rank he was. He grew taller and more athletic. His eyes were slits on default, his voice became deeper and hardly smiled these days.
Dressed in a black jacket and track pants, his face hidden by a hoodie, Minho walked into an alley, a heavy duffel bag in his hand. The alley had a gate. An old man sat by it, legs crossed and his eyes fixated on the ground.
"Who ya looking for?" The old man asked without looking up.
Minho tossed a pouch to the man. The old man caught it and opened it, seeing B-rank monster cores. He smiled.
"Ahh, it's you." The man looked up at Minho. "Forgive me. I didn't realize it was you." He opened the gate and motioned for Minho to get in.
Minho nodded and went inside. The alley was a long underground hub, known as the Hunter's Black Market.
"It's been months since the Hunters Association have been searching for The Breaker."
"True. Some say he's a humanoid monster and not an S-rank hunter."
"The hunters from the international guilds sent after him haven't been found."
Minho walked down the alley, hearing a lot of things about himself. "Ah," He muttered. "It truly has been a while since I became the talk of the nation. Tch, interesting."
Ever since the announcement from the Hunters Association, The Breaker has been on the headlines for months and there still are no signs of the talks calming down.
He reached the end of the alley and stood in front of a huge bouncer. The bouncer raised a brow and Minho took down his hoodie. His hair had grown longer than they used to be.
The bouncer smiled and nodded, opening the door behind him for Minho. Minho nodded and went in.
It was like a tavern. Drunken men and women - young and old - something he despised. But that wasn't his reason for coming here. He walked straight to the back where another bouncer let him in to the Manager's office.
The office was filled with different monster heads and cores hanging on the wall and in glass confinements across tables that were arranged like a maze. The room itself smelled like putting an antiperspirant in a dungeon. The manager - a rough looking man wearing a lab coat and some glasses, with a raspy voice - beamed as he saw Minho. "Ah, here comes my favorite customer." He quickly dropped what he was doing and scurried off to meet Minho. He brought his hand over for a handshake.
Minho looked at the hand and looked him in the face, his expression deadpan. "Right," The manager pulled back. "Still not one for handshakes."
Minho dropped the duffel bag on the table. "Same number of cores you asked for. Added the head of an A-rank anaconda."
The manager opened the bag and smiled. "Hehe, you're one full of surprises, Kang-Nim."
Yeah, Minho faked his identity to the man.
"Well," the manager continued. "I'll send you the money and an extra, for bringing in the monster's head." He picked the bag and walked to the back of the room.
Minho waited for him to return. His phone buzzed and he brought it out of his pocket. He received a million dollars. For a moment there, he felt something and looked right in front of him at the far wall.
The manager came back. "Isn't that too much, even with the extra?" Minho asked.
"Well, you know I've been owing you a couple times. And it's not actually because I didn't have the money. It's because I didn't really trust you," The manager explained. "But you kept on showing up and taking the incomplete pays and that's why I've been completing them since this month started. Consider this a bonus for all the business, debts, and a thank you for not killing me when you had every reason to."
"Still." Minho said.
The manager let the silence stretch for a bit before braking it with a raspy scoff. "I know today's your last day of coming here, Kang-Nim."
Minho tilted his head. The manager was right, but how did he know?
"Remember when I asked you at the beginning," the manager started. "I asked how I'd know if you were going to leave."
"Hm?"
"You said, 'I'll leave you a gift and you'll know who I am.' Well, it's been a month since we both knew I know you're 'The Breaker'. Ever since the day you brought me those A-rank cores without haggling, I knew. That told me your departure was coming soon." The manager exhaled, "And to complete it. You left me a dagger in the bag. That's worth a lot if you take it to the pawn shop or the Hunters Association. So, even a million isn't enough to explain my gratitude at your service."
Minho sighed and put on his hoodie. "Thanks for yours as well." He turned to leave. His hand hovered on the door knob, then he glanced back.
"I know, I know. Your secret's been safe with me for a month now and I'm surely taking it to the grave." The manager waved off, looking moody.
Without a word, Minho turned and slowly walked back into the room. He picked up a scissors and shot it right behind the manager.
The manager flinched and just as he was about to say something, he heard a groan from behind him. He turned to see a man on the ground, with the scissors embedded in his head.
Minho turned back to the door. "They must've already used a communication means to overhear our conversation. Get rid of the body." He opened the door. "And if they come after you…" he looked the manager dead in the eye. "Let them know the names Minho… Lee Minho." With that he left.
Hunters Association.
Chairman, Go Gun-Hee's office.
Someone knocked on the door. "Come in," Chairman Go - looking more like a wise statesman with grey hair - spoke.
A young lady came in. Yun Ah-Ra, Head of the Hunters Association's investigation department. An A-rank assassin. "Greetings, Chairman Go."
The chairman nodded. "Mm, it's good to see you Ah-Ra. Is there anything you'd like to speak to me about?"
She looked down, exhaled and looked back up. "I think we have information on who The Breaker might be."