The first thing I checked when I woke up was my water-damaged phone.

  Maybe it would work after drying out? I pressed the power button with hope. Please turn on!

  My hopes were completely dashed. The screen just kept flickering on and off.

  "It's finished."

  Hearing the news of my phone's death brought tears to my eyes.

  When Oppa saw my dejected look that morning, he asked what was wrong. I told him about my dead phone.

  "Why not get a Hunter Smartphone instead?"

  A Hunter Smartphone? Those premium devices made from monster byproducts were known for their durability, complete waterproofing, and massive batteries. The problem was their high price for limited usefulness.

  The initial advertising claimed they could withstand monster attacks inside Gates, but they never gained much popularity.

  Basic phone functions like calls and internet didn't work inside Gates anyway, making them practically useless there. In the end, the so-called Hunter Smartphone was just a sturdy regular phone.

  Later, their durability and long battery life started attracting more attention from ordinary people than Hunters.

  For those who treated their phones roughly, these genuinely tough and waterproof devices were perfect, unlike the latest models that cracked from minor drops or failed despite claiming water resistance.

  "No money."

  "Want me to give you one?"

  "Really?"

  Oppa brought a box from his room.

  "I received this earlier but never used it. Want it?"

  "Thank you!"

  I quickly snatched the box. I transferred my SIM card from the old phone to the new one.

  Though I still needed to install various apps, something else mattered more.

  Back in my room, I took a deep breath and slowly entered Si-hyun's number. The moment I pressed call, I heard the Ding! sound.

  So nervous.

  A click signaled the call connecting.

  "S-Si-hyun?"

  -Ah, Si-yeon?

  "Y-yeah, why did you call yesterday?"

  My nerves made me stutter.

  -Wanted to know how you're doing

  "I-I'm fine, of course."

  -Want to team up again?

  Si-hyun's suggestion tempted me instantly.

  My resolution to work alone nearly wavered.

  "No."

  -Isn't it hard?

  Asking if it's hard?

  It's incredibly hard. My two solo Expeditions made me realize how much Si-hyun usually supports me. That's exactly why I need to become independent. I can't rely on Si-hyun forever. If I keep depending on him, I'll never stand beside him as an equal partner.

  "It's fine. I can handle it."

  Si-hyun stayed silent.

  Was he worried? I couldn't tell.

  Despite my resolution, the words escaped my mouth.

  My desire to see Si-hyun came out directly.

  "Want to meet today?"

  -No, you should keep going.

  His rejection stung a little. But part of me felt relieved. I'd suggested meeting without thinking. If I actually saw Si-hyun, my determination would surely weaken again.

  "Okay, you too."

  After hanging up, emptiness washed over me.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  After just a few days, I kept thinking about Si-hyun.

  "Sigh."

  With my phone situation resolved, I decided to take the day off.

  While redownloading and syncing apps from my old phone, I discovered a promising application.

  Hunter Matching App.

  This app lets you register your information and match with other Hunters.

  With this, I could form parties and fight alongside others.

  I downloaded and launched it immediately.

  First, it required inputting the registration number from my Hunter Certificate, along with my parameters?

  "Let me see..."

  Online guides suggested deliberately lowering your attribute values when entering parameters.

  They claimed it was a safety measure against unexpected situations.

  I concealed the attributes enhanced by my Artifact and my available Mana, then submitted the adjusted parameters.

  After entering my parameters, I noticed various matching options. There was random matching within set ranges, plus a feature to search for parties using detailed criteria.

  I skipped random matching, of course. Setting specific conditions felt safer.

  Unfortunately, D-Class Hunters couldn't match for C-Class Gates.

  I'd hoped to challenge C-Class Gates through party play, so this was disappointing.

  I set the time for 10 AM tomorrow, specified the gathering details, and started matching. Within three minutes, it succeeded, generating a chatroom for matched teammates.

  After brief greetings and polite introductions, the chat immediately flooded with messages.

  The content was chaotic, some exchanging pleasantries, others offering encouragement.

  I struggled to participate in that kind of conversation.

  Our party had four members including me. I felt a flicker of anticipation for tomorrow.

  -

  My expectations shattered completely before we even reached the Gate.

  All three matched teammates looked unhealthy. They wore shabby Armor and carried crude Weapons.

  "Um, pleased to meet you."

  "Hey, nice gear. We should be the ones saying that."

  My equipment appeared extravagant compared to theirs.

  They weren't bad people, but these teammates barely qualified as D-Class, possessing awkward Abilities with little Growth potential. Their constant complaints revolved around this predicament.

  "Everyone says Hunters live glamorous lives and earn big money. Who knew it'd be like this? Hah."

  The leader was a thirty-year-old man who'd been a D-Class Hunter for over four years. He'd worked construction before his Awakening, embarking on a Hunter career with high hopes, only to find it much harder than expected. He rambled about his struggles while the other two nodded along sympathetically. I remained clueless, I hadn't been a Hunter for long.

  "As you all know, the Monsters in this Gate are Treants. They're slow but hit hard, so stay alert."

  We encountered Monsters immediately after entering the Gate.

  Rather than coordinated teamwork, everyone fought independently.

  I moved between them providing support: thrusting my Spear to assist teammates blocking attacks, covering blind spots against incoming strikes, using Javelin Throws to draw aggro.

  "Hey, you're pretty skilled, kid."

  "Ah... thanks?"

  "Having you here makes things easier. Party matching often pairs us with clumsy teammates. It's been rough."

  "Huh? Couldn't you coordinate beforehand?"

  The leader laughed heartily.

  "Hah, such childish thinking! Those guarantees mean nothing. Some slack off in the back, just waiting to claim loot."

  What? Does that mean fights break out?

  "This won’t do."

  "But if you refuse the assignment, they’ll give you a bad review in the matching evaluation."

  Sigh...

  "So the veterans all tacitly compromise and let it slide."

  Another Teammate nodded in agreement.

  But going solo was too dangerous, that was the problem.

  The hunt lasted a full 15 hours. It was originally scheduled as a 24 hour Expedition.

  During breaks, everyone just ate the bread they brought along.

  "Thanks to you, it’s been much easier."

  I kept hearing such praise after every fight or rest period.

  "You’re not a normal D-Class, are you?"

  Haha. I dodged such pointed questions.

  Even if I were just a regular D-Class, my Artifacts were too conspicuous.

  "Female Hunters always complain about being tired and demand breaks. They throw tantrums over nothing."

  Hmm... Unless they’re genuinely exhausted or low on stamina, why insist on resting? Not being an actual woman, I don’t really get it.

  "Alright, let’s find the next wave."

  After a twenty-minute break that felt neither long nor short, we moved out again.

  When we finally exited the Gate after 24 hours, the sky looked about the same as when we entered.

  "Not a bad haul."

  Everyone nodded.

  I felt the same. We’d probably collected over 600 grams of Magic Stones. Each person should clear at least 100,000 won.

  We went to the city’s Magic Stone Management Department to weigh them. The result was 610 grams.

  During the split, my Teammates gave me extra for some reason. I ended up with 160,000 won.

  "You... you really didn’t have to..."

  "It’s only fair. Thanks to your performance, we all made it through unharmed."

  My first team assignment wrapped up smoothly.

  They say the first time is always the hardest.

  After a day’s rest, I signed up early for another match. But this one was nothing but trouble.

  It was another 4-person D-Rank Gate team. Besides me, there was another woman.

  I didn’t think much of it until we met at the Gate. She was clearly unhappy. She showed up late, delaying our entry, and barely used her Psychokinesis Ability in combat. When she occasionally blocked an attack for a Teammate, she acted like she’d done something grand.

  Worse, she demanded breaks every few steps.

  "Ha, I have low stamina. You’re being too harsh."

  "I just saved you, you know."

  "Ugh, this is just bullying."

  Her irrational complaints wore everyone down until they gave in.

  I tried reasoning with her a few times, but it was useless.

  "As a woman, you should be on my side. How can you be so unfair?"

  "This is about fighting for our rights as female Hunters. The field is male-dominated, and women are overlooked, aren’t they?"

  Having been male until recently, I didn’t relate to her arguments. As a solo player at heart, I kept quiet and did my job.

  Somehow, the team gritted their teeth and finished the 12 hours hunt. Total Magic Stone earnings were 340,000 won. With fewer competitors and more monsters, each person got 85,000.

  The problem was those 12 hours felt more exhausting than the previous 24 hours .

  When we parted, the leader patted my shoulder and said, "Good work," but his smile was strained.

  Seemed he’d suffered even more than I had.

  The team matching that followed was equally disastrous. Poor coordination led to chaos when monsters attacked, resulting in a teammate getting injured by friendly fire and the team disbanding. The most absurd part was the man who caused the injury insisting it wasn't his fault - he refused to compensate the wounded teammate and simply fled.

  Eventually the team leader suggested using our accumulated Magic Stones to cover the medical costs, which I agreed to. My share of the rewards ended up completely wiped out.

  This is the legendary romantic life of Hunters?

  Bullshit.

  -

  @support me on Patreon for early chapter ???