There’s a Demon King Inside the Hero

Chapter 10: Temporary Hunter License (1)

“What… what the hell?”

Seo Yura caught the unconscious Suhyeon, barely managing to hold him up.

Fortunately, the flames from the wyvern’s breath, which had spread to the plants, were blown away by the wind Suhyeon had summoned, keeping them safe.

Thank goodness.

Still, as Yura supported Suhyeon, she glanced at the shattered ceiling of the cavern and the person who had caused this entire situation.

By physical standards, he was definitely a 1-star hunter, but…

“A 1-star hunter… using skills like that?”

The massive storm he had created not only wiped out the wyvern, leaving no trace, but also obliterated all the Half-Wolves in the chamber.

Wyverns were E+ rank monsters with the ability to fly. To take one down alone, a hunter typically needed to be at least 2-star rank with long-range attack skills.

Yet, this guy had not only defeated the wyvern but had also eliminated every other monster around without even wielding a weapon.

And most bizarre of all was his expression—completely calm, as if he were simply taking a leisurely walk through the forest, even in such a dangerous situation.

It was as if he had killed a wyvern before.

Multiple skills?

In the history of hunters, there had never been anyone capable of using multiple skills at once.

If such a hunter existed, there’s no way Yura, a 2-star hunter, wouldn’t have heard of them. She hadn’t even seen or heard rumors about someone like him.

As Yura pondered, several hunters appeared from the cavern Suhyeon had blown apart.

“There she is!”

“Sis, are you okay?”

“Hey, someone get a rope!”

The hunters quickly rescued both Yura and the unconscious Suhyeon.

They explained that after hearing the loud noise from the dungeon, they had rushed back inside, just in case. With additional reinforcements, they had managed to eliminate the remaining monsters in the dungeon.

—

A few days later, Seo Yura found herself looking around nervously in an unfamiliar place.

She was at a Union branch.

“I never expected the Union to call me in directly…”

The Union branch was a building established to manage hunters and awakened individuals, providing them with resources to carry out their missions.

“You seem a bit rattled.”

“Of course I am. This is my first time being summoned by the Union.”

“Haha, relax. We’re not here to interrogate you or anything.”

Yura looked up at the man seated across from her.

Dressed in a crisp suit, the man had a badge pinned to his chest identifying him as part of the Union. His name and the Union emblem were clearly displayed on the ID tag.

People like him, civilians who worked within the Union to assist hunters and manage operations, were called Agents.

This Agent had come to meet Yura personally to get a detailed account of what had happened in the dungeon.

Yura took a deep breath and carefully explained everything that had occurred.

“So… a man suddenly appeared and took down the E+ rank wyvern, using a strange skill that created a magic circle?”

“Yes.”

“From what we’ve observed—after inspecting the monster corpses and the damage to the dungeon—it’s clear this was far beyond what a hunter of your rank could have accomplished.”

“But who is he? I didn’t see him among the hunter students at the dungeon entrance.”

“He’s an awakened individual from Daeho Group. He was supposed to be observing the dungeon entrance, but apparently, he decided to dive in on his own. And about that skill with the magic circle…”

The Agent paused for a moment, thinking over the details, then nodded.

“Thank you for your cooperation. I believe we have enough information now to resolve this matter.”

“No problem. Take care.”

After finishing the conversation, Yura left the Union branch.

As she explained the situation to the Agent, she had asked about the man who saved her and learned his name.

*…Kim Suhyeon?*

Wait… Kim Suhyeon?

No way…

“Just an awakened individual here for an observation…”

Yura put a finger to her lips, deep in thought as she walked away.

Meanwhile, the Agent who had spoken with Yura stayed behind, flipping through the file in front of him.

“Taking down an E+ rank monster on his own and using skills as a 1-star… I guess issuing him a hunter license would be reasonable.”

A hunter license was an official certification issued by the Union that granted the holder the legal right to fight monsters and raid dungeons.

Since hunting monsters always involved a high risk of death, and failed dungeon raids could endanger civilians, the Union only allowed those who completed the rigorous curriculum of a hunter training school to take the certification exam.

Not every awakened individual became a hunter.

Some chose to pursue different careers, while others failed to earn their hunter licenses and ended up living normal lives despite awakening their powers.

However…

“What is the Union thinking?”

In the Agent’s hand was a hunter contract and an ID card.

The ID card was registered under the name Kim Suhyeon.

Even though he had taken down an E+ rank monster, was it really okay to just hand him a license like this?

The Union’s responsibility was to manage and support hunters and awakened individuals, but…

Whether this decision was truly appropriate or not was beyond the Agent’s control.

“If the higher-ups say to do it, I guess we do it.”

—

[Back here again? Why don’t you just build your own estate here?]

“It’s not like I wanted to come back.”

Suhyeon opened his eyes to find himself in a hospital room.

He was lying in a VIP room, provided by the Union, dressed in patient attire.

From the doctor, Suhyeon learned that the Union had arranged for his hospital stay after he had passed out.

Suhyeon didn’t mind. It gave him some time to rest and recover.

Suddenly, there was the sound of rapid footsteps approaching the door.

Bang!

“Suhyeon! Are you okay?”

The door flew open, and in came Song Hyunho, his uncle, his voice shrill with worry.

“You went into a dungeon? Are you hurt? Are you safe? Why would you even—!”

Sigh, I knew this was coming.

As expected, Hyunho bombarded Suhyeon with questions, a mixture of concern and scolding. Suhyeon calmed him down and briefly explained what had happened in the dungeon.

“So… you’re saying you took down the dungeon boss? An E+ rank monster, a wyvern?”

Suhyeon left out the details about the Demon King in his mind and the magic he had used, instead claiming that he had defeated the wyvern using a skill. Even with this explanation, Hyunho’s mind seemed to freeze.

So… Kim Suhyeon shot a gust of wind to kill a wyvern?

“A skill? You used a skill?”

“Yes.”

“…A skill you’d normally only gain at 2-star rank?”

Hyunho couldn’t believe it and found himself repeating the question.

[Why is using magic such a big deal?]

‘Of course it’s a big deal. It seems like people in this world think of the magic I used as a skill.’

Even saying it out loud felt strange.

A newly awakened 1-star using skills that were only unlocked at 2-star rank to single-handedly defeat an E+ rank dungeon boss.

Anyone who heard that would think it was an exaggeration or a lie.

“Well, if you say it’s true, I’ll believe you. You’re not the type to lie.”

“Thanks for believing me.”

“Don’t thank me. Why did you even go into the dungeon in the first place?”

“Aha… yeah…”

“You know this isn’t something to just laugh off, right?”

Hyunho spoke with uncharacteristic seriousness.

“Being a hunter is dangerous. Do you know how many hunters die in dungeons every day? Dozens.”

Hyunho couldn’t understand Suhyeon’s actions.

Sure, saving someone in danger was the right thing to do.

But it was too reckless.

‘You could have died, Suhyeon.’

“Can you guarantee you won’t be one of those casualties?”

“I survived, didn’t I?”

“Jeez…”

Hyunho was about to say more when Suhyeon softly interrupted him.

“Oh, and…”

He hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“Thanks, Uncle.”

‘…What?’

For some reason, Hyunho felt his chest tighten and his throat grow thick with emotion.

Was it because of Suhyeon?

It was strange.

They had just seen each other the day before, after all.

“Why do I feel so relieved… as if we’re meeting again after a long time?”

“What are you talking about?”

Though his voice had shifted to a slightly shaky tone, neither Suhyeon nor the Demon King—both with over a century’s worth of experience—missed the change.

[The guy’s crying, isn’t he, Hero?]

‘Geez, for someone his age, he sure has a soft spot.’

Thanks to the mana that had helped Suhyeon piece together his scattered memories from both this world and his 105 years as a hero, he could now recall everything more clearly.

“It’s just… everything.”

And for the first time in a long while, Suhyeon was able to express his true feelings, without any awkwardness.

“You cheesy brat, saying something so sappy…”

“Ha, did I?”

It was good.

He’d have to call his old friends later.

He had come to learn magic from the Demon King, but he had gained something even more valuable.

…Wait, crap!

[Bow before the greatness of the King!]

Even from his tone, Suhyeon could picture the Demon King puffing out his chest and looking smugly at the sky in self-celebration.

‘This is driving me nuts.’

[Thanks to the mana, it’s become much easier to read your memories from this world. Now then, shall I delve into another memory?]

‘Oh, God, please…’

Yeah, fine. You’re amazing, alright.

“By the way, if what you’re saying is true, the Union won’t leave you alone.”

“The Union?”

“Well, I’m curious about you, so imagine what the Union must think. You awakened your magic at 24, at just 1-star, but used a skill to defeat an E-rank monster. If the Union finds out…”

His uncle’s voice turned serious, almost certain.

“They’ll probably reach out to you first if they suspect something odd.”

After sending his uncle off, Suhyeon pondered.

“Would the Union really contact me directly?”

[It wouldn’t be strange. The power of the advanced magic you used is comparable to that of a 3-star hunter.]

“3-star? How could I reach the level of a 3-star hunter when I’m only 1-star?”

[Oh, here we go, basking in praise again.]

‘What? I’m just genuinely happy!’

[There’s nothing to celebrate. Magic isn’t a cure-all, after all.]

The Demon King cut him off sharply.

[Your Memorize has too many flaws. When you used it, you couldn’t move, could you?]

…He had noticed.

Suhyeon clenched and unclenched his right hand, remembering what it had felt like when he cast Storm of Arrows.

“Yeah, I couldn’t move at all. I felt like moving would break the magic.”

When Suhyeon used Memorize, he was so focused on his memory that the idea of moving his body didn’t even occur to him.

“And I couldn’t use any other magic, either.”

To cast high-level magic, a mage needed to focus solely on their magic formula. In Suhyeon’s case, that magic formula was tied to his memory.

This wasn’t entirely Suhyeon’s fault. Most mages had to stand still and focus completely when casting complex spells.

That’s why, back in Altera, the mages stayed at the rear of the party, casting from a safe distance while the others fought.

[There’s another problem, isn’t there?]

The Demon King pushed relentlessly.

‘Man, you’re really sharp when it comes to magic.’

He had caught on instantly.

The Demon King was right.

When Suhyeon had used the 4th-class spell Storm of Arrows, he had sensed it intuitively.

‘I doubt Memorize can handle anything beyond 4th-class magic.’

Even casting a 4th-class spell had put immense strain on his mind.

Though the mana had helped him pull off the double casting, he had still ended up in a Mind State.

He wasn’t sure if he could cast anything more powerful than 4th-class magic.

[Of course… sigh]

The Demon King clicked his tongue.

[Memorize is an ancient magic technique from Altera, passed down through the ages. No one knows who originally developed it, and because of that, its limitations are clear.]

The Demon King recited a line from a magical tome.

[It was written, ‘No sentient being can manifest magic beyond 4th-class using Memorize.’]

‘Then… am I screwed?’

If 4th-class magic was the limit, that meant Suhyeon couldn’t cast anything stronger.

[Don’t be ridiculous. That’s just what’s written in some book. Only third-rate mages stop there and accept it as fact without even trying to surpass it.]

‘Wait, so there is a way to cast higher-level magic?’

[Still thinking about that.]

‘…Seriously?’

Such grand words, but no solution yet.

[In any case, if you were in Altera, you’d be a fully qualified mage by now. But this world isn’t like Altera. This world doesn’t need mages.]

“That’s right.”

Suhyeon didn’t want to be a mage. He wanted to be a hunter.

[Even if you can move while casting 3rd-class magic, you can’t keep up with the mana’s flow for spells beyond that. It whispers to you, but it won’t fully assist in casting.]

While Suhyeon’s memories triggered a response from the surrounding mana, which aided him in casting 4th-class magic, it didn’t support his spells in the same way for lower-class spells.

That, in itself, was a fascinating discovery. However, this meant that Suhyeon had to dedicate all his mana to casting high-level magic, preventing him from using any other spells.

In the middle of casting advanced spells, even 1st-class spells, 2nd-class Body Enhancement spells, and 3rd-class spells like Blink were off-limits.

In short, while casting high-level spells, Suhyeon’s body reverted to that of an ordinary human.

[And once you’ve used up your magic, you’ll revert to a normal body anyway. Your ability to sustain combat will drop significantly.]

In other words, using both Body Enhancement and other spells while in combat would drain his magic reserves quickly.

Attempting to use higher-level spells via Memorize would immobilize him, and…

[Do you really think monsters won’t attack while you’re just standing there casting? If it hadn’t been for that hunter, Seo Yura, you would’ve been attacked and lost your concentration, failing the casting altogether.]

‘True…’

It was already impressive that Suhyeon could draw mana from his surroundings, something this world’s hunters couldn’t even fathom.

But the flaw in his technique was undeniable.

[There’s only one solution.]

‘Is there a way?’

Suhyeon’s eyes lit up with hope.

[Grind.]

‘…Why are you suddenly using gaming terms?’

[Because it’s the most accurate way to describe what you need to do. Any problem with that?]

The Demon King sounded completely serious.

[Do you know what Moving Casting is?]

It was a technique that allowed mages to cast high-level spells while moving.

The principle was simple.

Through sheer repetition, a mage would become so familiar with the magic formula that they could cast it instinctively, even with their eyes closed.

[But for you, it’ll be much harder. You’ll have to move, fight monsters, and cast spells all at once while your body reverts to that of a normal human.]

Still, it was worth trying.

Being able to move while casting would be far more useful in battle than standing still like a sitting duck.

‘So, how do I learn Moving Casting?’

[You have no choice but to practice in live combat, summoning Memorize while fighting monsters. The mana seems to assist when it senses memories tied to your battles.]

‘Combat practice, huh?’

Without a hunter license, he couldn’t legally enter dungeons. So, how would he even begin?

At that moment, there was a knock at the hospital door.

“Come in.”

Suhyeon expected it to be a doctor, but instead, a man in a suit walked in, causing Suhyeon to tilt his head in confusion.

“Hello.”

The man took something out of his bag and handed it to Suhyeon.

“Here, take this first.”

“Huh? What’s this…?”

It was a certificate and a hunter license issued in Suhyeon’s name.