Life Rebooted with Copy and Paste

— A brown-skinned elf, you said?

Since reports about elves were handled by the Association, Kim Do-Joon immediately called Son Chang-Il. The association president listened attentively to his recounting of the student’s story.

— I get it. But don’t take it too seriously.

"Excuse me?" Kim Do-Joon could not believe Son Chang-Il’s reaction.

— Ever since the media announcement about elves, we've been flooded with reports about elves. But when we go to verify, it's usually a false alarm or a prank call.

"Oh, is that so?"

There probably had been numerous false reports.

— Still, we can’t ignore any of them, so we keep checking. We’re also working with the police to increase patrols. But so far, nothing has come up. Anyways, in this case, no news is good news.

Son Chang-Il had a point. If something was discovered, that would be a real incident.

— However, brown skin is a new detail. I’ll circulate an official notice.

"Alright, sir," Kim Do-Joon replied.

With that, the call ended.

As he hung up, Kim Do-Joon’s expression was conflicted. Had the student really seen it wrong or was it just a fabricated story? It could have been a teenager’s attempt to impress peers by claiming to have encountered an elf, which was a hot topic lately.

Let’s just stay cautious.

There could be an elf with brown skin. With this information in mind, Kim Do-Joon left the academy.

A week passed after that. Kim Do-Joon spent his time managing his store, training, or gathering Poison Pouches in the Orc Labyrinth to sell. He stayed busy, keeping up with the news regularly, but no significant incidents occurred.

Considering the elves’ apparent disdain for humans, their distinctive ears that could not be easily hidden, and the fact that they were presumed to come from another world they called the "Stem," it was unlikely they would go unnoticed. The absence of any events likely meant the student had been mistaken.

Was I worried for nothing?

Perhaps he had overreacted to something trivial. However, the uneasy feeling remained.

At that moment, Kim Do-Joon’s phone buzzed with a new message.

Curious, Kim Do-Joon replied.

Kim Do-Joon knew about the team for the upcoming exploration of the stem. Not only did Son Chang-Il explain it briefly a few days ago, the media had been covering it every day. It was one of the hottest topics recently, alongside the elf incident, so it was hard to miss.

After hearing that, Kim Do-Joon thought for a moment. He glanced at his skill window. The entry skill for the Sky Road could be used again.

Hmm... I was planning to lock myself in tonight.

The special promotion exam was scheduled for next month, so he had planned to focus on the labyrinth until then. The Sky Road, unlike the Orc Labyrinth, would probably take quite a while to accomplish.

Two days should be fine though...

He’d intended to spend a significant amount of time exploring this time. In that case, seeing the exploration team off before that didn’t sound like a bad idea. Besides, he’d never seen the stem in Hwaseong with his own eyes.

After a brief deliberation, Kim Do-Joon made his decision and sent a message to Lee Ji-Ah.

Kim Do-Joon realized that it had been quite a while since he last met with Lee Ji-Ah. Since he hadn’t been entering dungeons much lately, they naturally didn’t meet for work.

A small event, huh...

Lee Ji-Ah called it a small event, but it probably wasn’t the case at all. Media, guild members, families, and onlookers would likely gather in droves. Considering the Association’s staff and security forces organizing the event, it was bound to be quite large.

Kim Do-Joon placed his phone on the table and thought to himself.

I should spend the next two days just training.

Then, he picked up his spear.

***

Lee Jin-Wook, 33 years old, was a reporter for the magazine Daily Hunting.

Early in the morning, with the cold air still lingering, he rushed to the stem. He had come to Hwaseong the previous day and stayed in a nearby lodging.

“Phew...”

Many people were already there, preparing for the event, such as setting up temporary tents and tables. They were likely staff from the Association in charge of the departure ceremony.

"No matter where you go, the lower ranks always have it tough," Lee Jin-Wook muttered, shaking his head.

Then, squinting, he looked at the stem ahead.

Surrounded by barricades and soldiers, it looked like an overly massive and tall black pillar.

“To have to go to such a scary place... Hunters have it rough.”

Lee Jin-Wook shuddered. Not knowing what would be inside the stem made going in more terrifying. The greatest fear came from the unknown, after all.

Most people envied the wealth and fame of Hunters, but as a reporter who knew a bit more about their lives, Lee Jin-Wook didn’t share the sentiment.

Even if I become an Awakener, I’d never become a Hunter.

Despite the lack of money and physical strain, Lee Jin-Wook preferred his non-life threatening job.

Taking out his cameras, he started taking pictures of the stem. He also noticed a few reporters doing the same.

“...”

The soldier guarding the post glanced at the reporters, but didn’t stop them. Lee Jin-Wook went on to capture the preparations and the surroundings. As he did so, the sun gradually rose, and people began to gather.

"Is everyone from Light One here?"

"A few are still missing. Oh and the Night Guild too... Ah! Hunter Oh Tae-Jin!"

The Association staff, who were busy discussing, suddenly straightened up when they saw a man.

"You're working hard," said Oh Tae-Jin.

Oh Tae-Jin was the representative of the guild master of Karma, and one of the most highly regarded A-rank Hunters, close to an S-rank. He was the sub-leader of this exploration team, and if the exploration was successful, he might be officially recognized as an S-rank Hunter.

Wow...

Lee Jin-Wook started snapping pictures like crazy. Oh Tae-Jin, not fully geared, only wore a plain suit, but he held a rugged-looking claymore. It was his cherished weapon, and he didn’t let anyone else touch them.

Wow... That’s so cool!

The rough, unadorned sword strangely matched Oh Tae-Jin’s suit. After all, a sword was every man’s dream.

Soon after, Hunters and guild members gathered around. Everywhere Lee Jin-Wook looked, he saw famous Hunters he had at least heard of. The exploration team was so elite that the lowest rank among them was B-rank.

Among them, the most notable were, of course, Oh Tae-Jin and the leader of the exploration, Shin Yoo-Sung.

Where is Shin Yoo-Sung?

However, Shin Yoo-Sung was nowhere to be seen. If he were present, people would be swarming around him, so it must’ve meant that he hadn’t arrived yet.

After bustling around, Lee Jin-Wook found a suitable spot to sit and took a break. Once the departure ceremony officially started, it would be a frenzy, so he needed to rest while he could.

“Hi, Mr. Do-Joon!”

“It's been a while since I last saw you.” 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Lee Jin-Wook noticed a man and a woman not far away. The woman, wearing a name tag, was clearly an association staff member. As for the man, Lee Jin-Wook squinted, trying to recall.

Who is that? He looks familiar...

Then it struck him.

Oh! Isn’t he the guy who topped the Hunter Exam last year?

During last year's Hunter Exam, this man swiftly took down the already popular Kang Jae-Joon, earning him the top spot. Despite receiving numerous offers from various guilds, he had turned them all down, remaining unaffiliated. His unique career path was still a topic of conversation among senior Hunters.

Normally, I’d go up and try to get a word with him.

However, Lee Jin-Wook just chuckled and shook his head. Though this man was notable, today’s event was on a completely different scale. Despite being the top scorer, he was likely still only around E-rank. In contrast, this event was teeming with Hunters whose minimum rank was B, with many close to A-rank.

No matter how exceptional in exams, he was still an E-rank nobody.

“Huh? Aren’t you Hunter Kim Do-Joon? Are you participating in the expedition?"

“No, I’m just here as a spectator,” Kim Do-Joon replied.

“Oh, I see.”

Suddenly, a man approached the pair. Lee Jin-Wook's eyes widened when he saw who it was.

Isn’t that Baek Hwi-Soo from Rune Mage?

Baek Hwi-Soo, the head of Team 1 of Rune Mage, one of the top four guilds, walked up to Kim Do-Joon with a friendly smile.

"How are you doing? My offer still stands. If you join Rune Mage, we'll support you at the highest level," Baek Hwi-Soo said.

"Sorry, but my answer remains the same," Kim Do-Joon replied.

"That's too bad. By the way, I heard you also got an offer from the Association..." Baek Hwi-Soo said.

"I also declined that offer," Kim Do-Joon replied.

When Kim Do-Joon answered, Baek Hwi-Soo laughed heartily and Lee Ji-Ah gave an awkward smile beside him.

“Good to know I wasn’t the only one.”

After Baek Hwi-Soo left, Lee Jin-Wook instinctively clicked his shutter. He was genuinely impressed.

Wow, just a year in and he's already on speaking terms with Baek Hwi-Soo? Does he have some kind of backing?

Even as a top scorer, it couldn’t explain his connection with Baek Hwi-Soo, the right hand of the guildmaster of Rune Mage.

However, Lee Jin-Wook’s astonishment did not end there.

“Oh, you’re already here. Have you thought about going in? If you change your mind, I can arrange a position for you,” said Son Chang-Il, the Association President.

"Isn’t it too late, with the ceremony starting in just an hour?" Kim Do-Joon asked.

“Who cares about being a little late? Your decision is what’s important.”

Son Chang-Il, the President of the Awakener Association, had walked up to meet Kim Do-Joon personally.

T-this is insane.

With trembling hands, Lee Jin-Wook frantically took more photos. A new Hunter in his first year and the President of the Association together was a rare sight.

Lee Jin-Wook instinctively knew that this was big news. Determined to seize the opportunity, he was filled with thoughts of interviewing Kim Do-Joon.

However, his mind went blank when the next person spoke to Kim Do-Joon.

"Hello, we’ve met before, right?"

A man wearing sunglasses approached Kim Do-Joon, seemingly to hide his face.

Who could that be now?

Lee Jin-Wook wondered, examining the man's features and build. Then it hit him.

It’s S-Shin Yoo-Sung!

The man was Shin Yoo-Sung, the leader of the expedition team and one of the three masters in the country.

"Wait, do you guys know each other?" Son Chang-Il asked, looking at Kim Do-Joon and Shin Yoo-Sung.

“Ah yes, we met once by chance when my daughter was registering as an Awakener,” Kim Do-Joon replied.

What was even more surprising to Lee Jin-Wook was how Kim Do-Joon’s expression soured at the sight of Shin Yoo-Sung. For most Hunters, especially newcomers, an S-rank Hunter like Shin Yoo-Sung would be held in the highest regard.

However, Kim Do-Joon still regarded Shin Yoo-Sung as the scoundrel who was eyeing his daughter, Kim So-Eun. Whether he knew this or not, Shin Yoo-Sung smiled amiably.

“How is your daughter doing these days? Is she developing her abilities well?” Shin Yoo-Sung asked.

“Well yes, she’s learning from a good teacher,” Kim Do-Joon replied.

“Oh, a teacher... What if there was an even better one?” Shin Yoo-Sung asked again.

“A better teacher? Where are they?” Kim Do-Joon asked.

Without a word, Shin Yoo-Sung pointed to himself, smiling. Kim Do-Joon's lips curled in a smirk.

“I’m not sure how you could be considered better,” Kim Do-Joon replied.

“You have quite the knack for playing hard to get, sir, haha,” Shin Yoo-Sung said.

At this point, it was unclear if Shin Yoo-Sung was just oblivious or extremely brazen. Kim Do-Joon shook his head.

Meanwhile, Lee Jin-Wook was too shocked to even press the shutter.

...

It was common to see the Association President and Shin Yoo-Sung together, but having an E-rank Hunter included in that scene was extremely rare. And clearly, the E-rank Hunter was the focal point of the interaction.

If he told his senior about this, they would likely accuse him of lying and tell him to go back to his desk.

He glanced at the association staff member who had been standing nearby. She, too, was wide-eyed with a mix of astonishment and confusion. Somehow, Lee Jin-Wook felt a bit of camaraderie with her.

Then, after Son Chang-Il and Shin Yoo-Sung left, Lee Ji-Ah turned to Kim Do-Joon.

“Mr. Do-Joon...” Lee Ji-Ah said.

“Yes?” Kim Do-Joon replied.

“You’ve gotten to know some really impressive people in such a short time.”

Lee Ji-Ah looked dazed. She knew Kim Do-Joon was acquainted with the Association President, but Baek Hwi-Soo and, least of all, Shin Yoo-Sung?

Who could have guessed that an E-rank Hunter she was in charge of would know an S-rank Hunter?

“It just happened,” Kim Do-Joon replied nonchalantly.

Because of his daughter, he had met Baek Hwi-Soo through a dungeon incident involving Hwang Hyun-Woo and Shin Yoo-Sung.

They were connections made purely by chance, and although they were still shallow, they existed.

Lee Ji-Ah looked at Kim Do-Joon with newfound wonder. Was this really the same store owner she used to know?

At that moment, Kim Do-Joon felt a gaze on him. He turned to see a man awkwardly holding a camera. When their eyes met, the man hurriedly moved away.

However, Kim Do-Joon’s attention was soon fixed on another figure behind the man, who was holding a large sword.