…I should’ve memorized the Super Bowl numbers too. Who knew about returning? In any case, no one was taking the prophet seriously. He was just another random interloper in this commotion. If that were true, I’d be relieved.

[The current time is just past 10 PM in New York.]

The prophet looked somewhere beyond the screen and smiled broadly.

[Though the population dipped slightly after the first Dungeon Shock, the city remains bustling. Thus, dungeons still abound. Many know the C-rank dungeon beside Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. During an NBA game there, most players awakened mid-match—80% to D-rank or above—and both teams were disbanded in the air.]

That had happened a few times. Since dungeons emerged, we’ve called underperforming players “go awaken” or said “Even if he awakens, he’ll stay F-rank all his life” at worst players.

“We went through that ourselves.”

Moon Hyunah said with a nostalgic look. Hyunah herself awakened with her comrades at a meeting once.

[In one hour, this C-rank Barclays dungeon will break open again.]

The chat’s pace, briefly stalled at his words, sped up again. There was Korean, but mostly English, given the location.

“They say they’re clearing the Barclays dungeon now.”

Yuhyun read the English and relayed it to me.

“They’re a two-year-old A-rank guild and manage dungeons well. I see posts calling to report it.”

“Spreading false dungeon info is a serious crime in the U.S., too.”

Song Taewon said. If a dungeon were about to break in the city, it’d cause a huge uproar. They’re better prepared now, but still, masses would have to evacuate, and accidents would happen. Last time’s intentional dungeon break caused massive damage.

“If it’s false info… I wonder.”

Seong Hyunjae turned to me. I swallowed dryly. If, somehow, his words came true—

[I’ll see you again in one hour.]

The prophet ended the broadcast with a greeting.

“If that C-rank dungeon ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ really breaks, the fallout’ll be massive.”

“There are two options. One is to fabricate it in advance. It’s tight on time but not impossible—claim that, with the prophet’s help, an A-rank guild orchestrated the accident.”

As Seong Hyunjae said, we could allege he only pretended to see the future. For natural disasters, maybe, but a simple accident can be staged by people.

“If he’s someone with pre-return memories, it could be even more troublesome. What’s the second option?”

“Attribute it to a skill. The ability to see the future might be impressive, but in a world of hunters, it loses mystique. Just a skill anyone could awaken to with enough luck. Lower the prestige, and you reduce his influence.”

Indeed, if a real prophet appeared in a world without hunters, he’d wield tremendous power. But in a neighborhood where your neighbor flies, the next one teleports, the next turns into a dragon, and the next becomes invisible—future-sight isn’t so special.

“Brother, you could do something similar, right? You regress.”

“I don’t know overseas situations well. Domestic changed too much. I know what dungeons will appear, but if I’d revealed that from the start, I couldn’t be here now.”

“We wouldn’t have needed to go to overseas kidnappings.”

Moon Hyunah nodded and glanced at Seong Hyunjae. He replied calmly.

“Thank goodness MKC disappeared.”

“What, Seong Hyunjae? If you and Yerim had never met, and Noble had a low chance to survive… Or Seok Simyeong would have hidden you perfectly. We’d only know Haeyeon Guild Leader went missing.”

Had I rushed off alone, the first scenario; if I’d consulted Haeyeon, the second. Yuhyun would have cooperated with Seok Simyeong too. Pretending to be wronged, Seong Hyunjae said,

“I’m not that big a villain.”

“There’s your conscience rolling on the floor. Someone pick it up.”

“It’s too small to see, sister.”

“You said S-rank hunters accompanied him then? Two of them, maybe more.”

He might not be ordinary, that so-called prophet.

“How did he protect himself and recruit S-rank hunters?”

“In the U.S., fewer constraints than for Han Yujin, I’d say. Thanks to Director Song Taewon, Korea’s hunter system is the best organized.”

Korea was hard to operate in without registering with the Hunter Association. The black market existed but was smaller than overseas. Before I returned, after Director Song’s death… things had changed, but still.

“Maybe the Harmless King or Chatterbox aided him. Anyway, for now, we should prepare as Mr. Seong Hyunjae suggested. Yuhyun, tell Team Leader Seok to contact Japan and China. Hyunah, can you help?”

“Of course. But we’re still small. We aren’t affiliated with any guild.”

She said they had a secret team under the guild leader, to maintain foreign deals after independence. And Sesung too.

“We can trust them?”

“They’ll handle it.”

If the prophet’s words proved true, we’d manufacture headlines about a new skill emerging. We’d also subtly weave in the first method—that staging was possible.

“For dungeon info, we can tie it to Seok Hayan’s team, saying the prophecy isn’t useful.”

The dungeon would be safe anyway. The real work wasn’t up to me now; I could only wait the hour. I sank into the sofa and stared at the “stream ended” screen.

‘What the hell is Chatterbox planning…?’

What could they be up to? I never expected them to go public like this. I thought it’d remain a fight known only to insiders.

“There’s no talk of the prophet in Korea yet.”

Yerim said, fiddling anxiously with her phone.

“My friends and their sisters and friends checked all the big communities—there’s no buzz. I’m sure.”

“Communities? Even your friends’ sisters’ friends?”

“They don’t know personally, only hearsay. I made a group chat and gathered them. Oh, one post said he looked odd—like he was growing his hair out and bleaching it for a concept?”

Yerim said more, but I couldn’t follow. That’s generation gap for you. What’s a forum even.

An hour passed, and then breaking news:

[New York Brooklyn C-rank Dungeon Break.]

They reported that a C-rank dungeon raid team, due to internal guild conflict, had turned back at the gate. As an A-rank guild with several mid-rank teams, they’d normally send another team, but communication failed.

Upstairs thought the raid was proceeding, downstairs thought upstairs would handle it—TV summarized it briefly. Luckily, it was only a mid-rank dungeon, so damage was limited.

[Someone predicted the Barclays dungeon break.]

The internet broadcast had gone global, even to TV. Coincidence, manipulation, special skill—they tossed around every theory. If he’d only predicted the dungeon break, it wouldn’t have blown up this much. But then:

[This footage comes from ABC.]

It was Noah. The blond youth ran nimbly up a steep mountain trail. Beside him was Kang Soyeong, her hair tied high. To lull the opposing team’s guard, they paired sub-support Noah with A-rank Soyeong. Thanks to Noah, the A-rank beat S-rank, but it was two-on-one.

The scene shifted, and Noah leapt off a cliff without hesitation. In midair he spun, dodging bullets, then disappeared into cover where the S-rank hunters lay in wait. Normally you’d have to descend and approach from below to attack. If the distance closed, Noah and Soyeong would be physically at a disadvantage. But knowing they couldn’t die, Noah shot mid-air.

Gunshots rang with S-rank hunters’ startled faces. After the victory, Noah suffered a fatal fall; Soyeong earned three gold coins and gave two to Noah.

Next came Liet. Her legs coiled around a hunter’s neck and snapped it instantly. The screen went black during the choke, but imagination filled in the rest. Liet had entered with me and dispatched the opposing team bare-handed. They’d inflicted serious wounds with weapons, but she broke every limb of the last one anyway. Liet died of blood loss, and I received three gold coins and handed them to her.

[According to the “prophet,” this footage is the preliminaries of “Chatterbox’s Party.”]

…Not exactly wrong.

[The invitations to Chatterbox’s Party have already been sent to hunters around the world.]

Seriously, like this.

[Those attending this party will receive enormous rewards.]

I never expected this.

[The party of countless S-rank hunters will be broadcast live on Chatterbox’s channel.]

The announcer tried to stay composed but couldn’t hide excitement. A party of S-rank hunters, live combat—just hearing it made me want to curse.

This madman, calling it a funeral. Like he planned to throw a raucous, lavish funeral for the world to enjoy. Is that how funerals work in his neighborhood?

I recalled the first S-rank ranking match before I returned. It wasn’t live, the footage was poor, but it was as wild as the Olympics. And this—God himself would broadcast live. Though it’s called a party, it might not be a simple fight. But still—

‘It’s a program gathering the world’s top celebrities in competition.’

Gathering top entertainers from every country would be huge—imagine S-rank hunters instead. Just having dinner together would skyrocket ratings.

“The prophecy’s become mere spectacle.”

Seong Hyunjae muttered. Officials might care more about the prophet, but ordinary people’s eyes were on the party. He only predicted a predictable dungeon accident—hardly believable.

“The prophecy was probably to gain cooperation from U.S. elites.”

To make ordinary people see it as a clown show before the party, while contacting important figures behind the scenes. In the end, we’d have been helped, but this was better.

“…Sir, maybe you should stay off the internet for a while.”

Yerim said, troubled.

“What are they saying? Yerim, don’t watch it. Hyunah.”

At my call, Moon Hyunah furrowed her brow slightly, then replied.

“They’re asking why Han Yujin would attend. They say S-rank invite only.”

No F-rank has a place there, she said without watching.

“They’ll say he got through preliminaries leeching off other S-ranks.”

“Yeah, they’re saying he threw the match on purpose. We should announce that soon—people saying guild leaders can’t attend because of you.”

Since it was called preliminaries. If they think he lost to let Yuhyun or Seong Hyunjae or Director Song enter ranking matches… I’d curse too.

“I’ll make a statement, and then… go check the dungeon.”

I needed to move immediately, but my strength was gone. Yuhyun swiftly contacted Seok Simyeong, telling him to announce that Haeyeon Guild Leader and Hunter Park Yerim would attend. Seong Hyunjae and Moon Hyunah did the same.

Interview requests poured in, but first I decided to find the rookie.