Saving the World Starts With a Queue

The next morning, the summer sun hung high and bright over the bustling city of Seoul.

Seo-Jun stood outside his traditional two-story home, adjusting the collar of his simple black jacket.

A familiar figure jogged up the street, her short black hair bouncing slightly.

Kang Ha Neul stopped in front of him, her dark eyes carrying a faint, determined violet tint.

"Are you ready?" Seo-Jun asked, his voice calm and grounding.

Ha Neul took a deep breath and nodded firmly.

"I'm ready. Let's get this over with."

They began their long walk toward the central district of Seoul, moving through the streets of a city that had been permanently transformed by the arrival of monsters, dungeons, and awakened humans.

Their destination was the massive headquarters of the Korean Hunter Association, one of the most influential organizations in this new era.

According to federal law, every person who awakened and successfully survived the Tutorial was required to register with the Association and obtain an official Hunter License.

Refusing to complete the registration process was considered a serious criminal offense, as unregistered Awakeners were viewed as unpredictable threats who possessed dangerous abilities without any form of government oversight.

The Hunter Security Department was responsible for identifying and handling these individuals, treating illegal Awakeners as potential rogue threats and pursuing them without hesitation.

Those who deliberately avoided registration were hunted down, classified as criminals, and imprisoned within specialized maximum-security facilities designed to contain supernatural abilities.

Seo-Jun had no intention of placing himself outside the law, at least not for the time being.

An official Hunter License would provide him with the legal authority and unrestricted access necessary to enter dungeons, acquire resources, and continue his growth without attracting unnecessary attention.

As they approached the Association headquarters, the true scale of the current situation became impossible to overlook.

The enormous glass skyscraper was surrounded by countless news vans, reporters broadcasting live updates, and heavily armed security personnel stationed throughout the area.

The entire world was still struggling to process the golden World Notification that had appeared across the sky the previous day.

Such an unprecedented announcement had shaken governments, hunter organizations, and ordinary citizens alike, leaving countless questions unanswered.

Because of that single event, the Korean Hunter Association had been pushed into a state of absolute chaos and frantic overdrive.

They were desperately searching for the 'Golden Rookie'—the absolute anomaly who had purified the tutorial.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from NovelFire; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Every single novice who walked through those glass doors was currently being treated as a prime suspect.

Seo-Jun and Ha Neul seamlessly blended into the crowd, stepping into the chaotic, echoing main lobby.

The lines for registration were surprisingly short, given that most survivors had registered days ago.

They approached one of the sleek, white registration desks.

A tired-looking receptionist with dark circles under her eyes looked up from her holographic tablet.

"Identification cards, please," she said, her voice dripping with bureaucratic exhaustion.

They handed over their national ID cards, standing patiently as she scanned them into the system.

"You're late."

Her gaze shifted from the screen to the two young candidates standing before her.

"The Tutorial ended several days ago. Most survivors reported here within twenty four hours of returning."

There was no accusation in her tone.

Only caution.

She folded her hands atop the desk.

"So why are you only registering now?"

A brief pause followed.

Then came the question she had likely asked dozens of times already.

"You haven't had any dealings with unauthorized brokers, have you?"

Seo Jun smiled.

It was neither forced nor overly friendly.

Just the honest, slightly awkward smile one would expect from a young man who had barely escaped death.

"No, ma'am."

His answer came without the slightest hesitation.

"My parents were so relieved that I made it back safely, they refused to let me leave the house."

A faint, embarrassed smile spread across his face.

"They insisted the whole family take a short trip together before I started dealing with all of this."

He scratched the back of his head.

"We only got back yesterday."

The receptionist watched him in silence.

Years of interviewing newly awakened hunters had sharpened her instincts.

She had learned to recognize them all.

Yet the young man before her displayed nothing unusual.

Only the lingering relief of someone grateful to have survived.

After several seconds, she gave a small nod.

"I understand."

The tension in her expression eased as she tapped a few commands into the holographic display.

"It's been a difficult week for everyone."

The registration form shifted to the next page.

"Let's begin the verbal assessment."

She pulled up a new, blank digital form.

"For the official record, how many stages of the Beginner Tutorial did the two of you clear?"

"Four," Seo-Jun answered calmly, his voice completely level.

The receptionist's stylus slipped from her fingers, clattering loudly against the glass desk.

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers as she stared at the two young adults standing before her.

"F-Four?" she stammered, completely abandoning her professional composure.

"You both cleared the Proving Grounds? Stage Four?"

"Yes," Ha Neul confirmed quietly, her violet eyes steady and unblinking.

The receptionist swallowed hard, her fingers trembling as she typed the information into the highly classified database.

Clearing Stage Four was a feat reserved only for absolute geniuses and corporate-sponsored prodigies.

"I... I see," the receptionist muttered, her tone suddenly shifting to deep, profound respect.

"Before we can officially process that claim, we need physical confirmation that your mana cores are active."

She pointed to a small, fireproof metallic basin resting at the edge of her desk.

"Please demonstrate a basic manifestation of mana. A simple spark will suffice."

Ha Neul stepped forward first. She gently raised her right hand, her innate trait, Emissary of the Arcane, quietly flaring to life.

She didn't force the mana, she simply invited it, just as Seo-Jun had taught her in the Verdant Hell. A perfectly spherical, brilliant blue fireball materialized silently hovering above her palm.

The receptionist gasped softly, writing down a perfect score for mana control.

Ha Neul closed her hand, extinguishing the flame without a single trace of smoke.

Seo-Jun stepped up next.

He casually snapped his fingers, willing a tiny, concentrated flicker of red flame to dance on his thumb.

It was utterly unremarkable, a mundane display of magic designed specifically to look completely average.

The receptionist nodded, satisfied that they were indeed legitimate, active Awakeners.

"Excellent control. Both of you are confirmed as active Awakeners."

She handed them their temporary badges.

"Room B."

"You'll undergo your Mana Frequency Test there."

Seo Jun accepted the badge without a word.

Unlike everyone else entering that room for the first time...

He already knew exactly what the test would reveal.