>"Dragon Hunter"
Those who dare to explore the Dragon Nests—places where the world once unleashed its wrath.
To the public, Dragon Hunters are symbols of courage and honor.
They are respected not only for their strength but for their bravery in challenging places even nobles wouldn't dare to approach.
The deeper and more frequently they explore Dragon Nests, the more experience and power they gain.
Thus, the world—through the Hunter Guild—classifies Dragon Hunters into 10 levels.
This classification is not arbitrary; it's based on a combination of:
Combat ability
Strategy & tactics inside the Nest
Mission success rate
Record of Dragon Nest conquests
Contributions to society and the world
Those recognized receive an Official License from the Guild—a symbol of acknowledgment as a true Dragon Hunter.
But times have changed.
> In this current era, only a handful of Dragon Hunters have reached Level 7.
Even the Dragon Nests that can be conquered now are only up to Level 6.
Levels 7 to 10 are considered impossible zones—filled with the densest remnants of curses, and monsters whose power rivals legends.
In powerful kingdoms like Reinhart, the status of Dragon Hunter is held in the highest regard.
Yet in reality, most Dragon Hunters there are only at Level 4,
and the highest Dragon Nest they've managed to conquer is only Level 3.
Even holding a Level 5 License is seen as an extraordinary achievement—on par with high-ranking military commanders or nobility.
Dragon Hunters, who once operated in small groups, gradually began forming larger, more organized alliances.
They formed clans—independent power structures operating under the Hunter Guild.
> A clan isn't just a collection of Dragon Hunters.
They are a hunting family—moving together in strategy, loot distribution, and reputation building.
Within a clan, strength doesn't belong to individuals alone—it is collective.
Every mission, every Dragon Nest conquered, raises the name of the clan.
---
💠 Reputation Is Everything
The bigger a clan's name, the greater their influence in the world of Dragon Hunters.
> Reputation is the main currency.
Respected clans gain not only access to higher-level Nests, but also special attention from the kingdom, nobility, and even the central Hunter Guild.
---
👑 Great Clans of the Reinhart Kingdom
In powerful kingdoms like Reinhart, clans are the vanguard of Dragon Nest exploration.
Although many smaller clans are scattered across the lands, only a few are truly recognized on a national level.
> And in the capital of Reinhart, only three great clans stand at the pinnacle:
1. Argent Fang Clan
2. Obsidian Veil Clan
3. Death Flower Clan
Among these three, my clan—Death Flower—is the most feared.
Not because of our numbers.
Not because of strategy or tactics.
But because of... our reputation.
---
They say:
> "If you join Death Flower… you're no longer an ordinary human.
You become a hunting machine."
The leader of this clan is known for being ruthless and unforgiving.
Every member is trained like a living weapon—fast, precise, and always returning with results, regardless of injuries.
But behind all that, the most shocking fact is:
> The leader of the Death Flower clan... is me.
And the front-line party leading this clan…
are my childhood friends—the kids who used to play adventure games with me.
They are known as:
> "The Rotten Bloom."
Irony?
Absolutely.
Because I...
> ❌ Don't have Dragon Aura.
❌ Don't have courage.
❌ Never wanted to be a Dragon Hunter.
I'm a coward.
Even now, I don't know how I ended up in this position.
They say I'm hiding my power.
That I'm some undetectable force—a hidden monster with unimaginable strength.
But the truth?
> I just... don't want to die.
I want a peaceful life.
Nothing more.
---
But the world doesn't care about my intentions.
And maybe, it all started 10 years ago…
We were just a group of village kids.
Around ten years old.
There were six of us—and I, of course, was one of them.
That day, as usual, we were playing by the lake.
A calm evening. Clear water.
And… some silly kid jokes.
Suddenly, a boy stood on a large rock.
His hair was blue, eyes bright like the sky.
He wore a red shirt, shorts, and boots. In his hand was a small stick, as if it were a sacred sword.
With excitement, he raised the stick high and shouted:
> "Hey! Let's become Dragon Hunters!
We'll explore mountains, valleys, and lakes! We'll gain riches and fame!"
His name was Zein Tryhert—my childhood friend.
He was always the spark of chaos… in the most fun way possible.
Not long after, a girl with short brown hair and energetic eyes stood up.
She wore blue, with shorts, gloves, and a small pouch at her waist.
She was the most active and agile among us.
With a wide smile, she shouted:
> "You're right, Zein! Let's become Dragon Hunters and go on adventures!"
One by one, my friends joined in.
The one wearing light armor just nodded.
The bookworm—who always carried a book—also nodded.
The shy, timid one… but most caring and gentle—he said nothing, but slowly nodded with deep meaning.
That left… me.
Zein turned to me and asked,
> "What do you think, Theo?"
I paused.
Yes… my name is Theo Feinard.
Among them, I was the weakest.
I lacked confidence, and above all—I was afraid.
Very afraid.
I never dreamed of becoming a Dragon Hunter.
Not because I hated it…
But because I didn't want to die.
Reflexively, I looked down.
Not to nod.
Just… to think.
But then, my little sister spoke up.
A gentle, kind, and caring girl…
She was my little sister—the light of my life.
With her most innocent smile, she said:
> "Awesome, Big Brother! So we all agree to become Dragon Hunters!
If you're there, I won't be scared… because you'll always protect me!"
Suddenly, all eyes were on me.
They smiled—cheerful, excited.
…Huh?
Wait.
I just looked down, not nodded.
I swear.
I was just thinking.
---
We played together more often—especially on the village outskirts.
With sticks in hand, our imagination became epic tales.
As if we were real Dragon Hunters.
Sometimes we pretended to explore hidden caves.
Sometimes we ran across small rivers yelling:
> "A monster is coming! Protect the mage!"
It was silly… but that day felt a little… different.
Somehow, our game took us too far.
Without realizing it, we got lost.
We were deep inside an unfamiliar forest—a place even adults rarely visited.
That place… was silent.
Too silent.
No birds. No insects. No wind.
Only the sound of our own footsteps echoing between the dark trees.
We panicked, of course.
We tried to find our way back—circling, shouting, even climbing trees.
But nothing worked.
After a while, we stumbled upon something.
A cave.
A large cave with a gaping black mouth, shrouded in mist,
and a cold air that somehow felt… bone-chilling.
We stopped there, right in front of the entrance.
Our bodies were tired.
Our legs sore.
And more than anything… we were hungry.
Luckily, my sister Luna Reinard and the bookworm Vivi Vianist were always the saviors.
They were like support characters from fantasy stories—but honestly, without them we'd have starved.
Vivi opened her small bag and pulled out some cookies.
Luna handed over a small thermos filled with warm tea and herbal medicine.
We sat in a circle in front of the cave.
Eating cookies together,
laughing,
and for a moment… forgetting we were lost.
To be honest,
it's one of the best memories I have.
---
While we were enjoying our food…
Suddenly—
tap… tap… tap…
We heard footsteps…
Coming from inside the cave.
The steps were heavy,
as if dragging something.
All our laughter stopped instantly.
We turned our heads at once.
From within the darkness,
a human slowly emerged.
He staggered forward.
His body was covered in wounds—bleeding from head to toe.
Parts of his clothing were torn, and he dragged one leg as if it was nearly paralyzed.
His face wasn't clearly visible, hidden in shadow… but his expression was exhausted.
So, so tired.
We froze. Unable to move. Unable to speak.
> "T-That… that's a person, right?"
Vivi whispered, trembling.
> "I-Is he a monster?"
Luna clutched my arm tightly.
The man fully stepped out of the cave.
Then—without a single word—
THUD!
He collapsed right in front of us.
---
We all panicked.
Zein immediately stood up with his stick like a sword.
"Don't come any closer! Who are you?!"
As for me…
I didn't know what to do.
I could only stare at the body—unmoving, breathing faintly…
But the most shocking thing was…
The aura around him.
That…
That wasn't a normal aura.
It was incredibly strong.
So dense, it made my hair stand on end.
Even though I lacked the ability to sense aura like the others…
Even I could feel it.
> Was he… a Dragon Hunter?
> But… why is he here?
> And… why did he come out of that cave?
---