Various titles refer to Yeonseo.
A living legend.
The first and strongest S-grade Hunter.
The one who opened the modern Hunter Era.
Yeonseo above the nation.
Even among S-grade Hunters, Yeonseo was on a different level.
The quantity and quality of her powerful mana far surpassed that of ordinary S-grade Hunters. Although she wasn’t a physical-type Hunter, her simple physical abilities could easily crush most power-type A-grade Hunters.
Even after fighting on the front lines of dungeons and the Hunter world for nearly 60 years since the First Great Rift, she showed no signs of aging or frailty; anyone who didn’t know her would mistake her for a beautiful woman in her twenties.
Of course, she couldn’t hide her age due to her unique atmosphere, but even though Hunters generally age slower than ordinary people, Yeonseo was overwhelmingly close to being ageless.
In fact, it was due to a lack of standards—she held the title of the only SS-grade Hunter in the world. Her power was so immense that even after her retirement in 2088, she was busy with numerous invitations from various countries and the Hunter Association, encouraging and training talented individuals.
Yeonseo had declared that, unless new Dungeon Overbreaks or Great Rifts occurred, she wouldn’t return to the front lines. Still, people seeking her out didn’t just come from Korea; there was also a surplus of requests from the United States and Europe.
The reason for her retirement was simple: she wanted to spend more time with her only blood relative and granddaughter, Yeonhwa.
When Yeonseo was active, she was busy saving the world, rescuing people from dungeons, and dealing with crises. In the midst of it all, she couldn’t care for her own blood relatives.
That’s why she retired, but even after retiring, she found she didn’t have much leisure time.
No matter how hard she tried to carve out time to spend with her dear Yeonhwa…
“I’m busy, Grandma.”
Hiiing…
Yeonhwa’s cold voice was as chilling as ice, a reflection of her ability.
Yeonhwa didn’t particularly dislike Yeonseo.
There was just a slight distance between them. From her nature, Yeonhwa earned the nickname Chilling Demon at the Academy for her cold demeanor.
It was surprising how Yeonhwa would approach Shia without hesitation, but when it came to her grandmother, she was a different story.
Rejected in her attempt to spend time with her granddaughter, Yeonseo felt a twinge of sadness but did not show any signs on her face.
“…Is that so?”
“They say I need to take care of some Goblin Rangers.”
“Hmm, once you receive a Hunter name, it’s pretty much the same as going to the front lines. They’re always short on personnel over there.”
She understood.
After losing her sister, Yeonhwa yearned for strength and wanted to become stronger.
Even if Yeonseo had suggested going on an expedition together or offered her assistance, Yeonhwa would have stubbornly refused.
It was easy to predict what would happen if the newly minted A-grade chick entered an expedition swarming with other A-grade Hunters.
After hanging out a few times with Shia, the Returnee who was the Mangja Seongnyeo, Yeonhwa no longer had that fierce look in her eyes. Yet, for some reason, Yeonseo still felt a bit disappointed by her granddaughter’s cold response.
No way, this old lady shouldn’t feel disappointed. It’s her fault for not taking care of Yeonhwa when she was young…
“Grandma.”
“What is it?”
“Let’s eat together when I get back.”
“……I’ll wait.”
It was clear that Yeonhwa’s previously frosty disposition had become much warmer.
She used to remind one of winter, but now she felt like early spring, just a little warmer.
Although there was still an inherent awkwardness between them, that couldn’t be helped.
Having set off to handle the remnants of the Goblin Rangers, Yeonhwa left, and Yeonseo suddenly found herself with free time.
“Germany’s Hakenzburg Academy’s founding ceremony is next week, and aside from your speech then, there are no other schedules for two weeks.”
“Oh, I see?”
“Yes, as long as nothing like the Dungeon Overbreak from last time occurs, I think things will remain relatively free for now.”
Hearing this from her secretary, Yeonseo couldn’t help but smile.
Opportunities for free time like this were few and far between.
“Hehe, suddenly a holiday, huh? Then, darling, you should head back to your hometown for a while.”
“…Is that okay?”
“Well, this old lady isn’t wandering around without her smartwatch. If anything urgent comes up, just call me. If you tell Yeonju, they’ll give you enough for travel and food expenses, not to mention a gift for your parents, so go ahead.”
“Ah… Thank you!”
It seemed her secretary was excited about the long-awaited vacation.
After all, she had crossed the date line countless times following Yeonseo in just a week.
It would be a lie to say it wasn’t tiring.
With her secretary buzzing with excitement at the thought of heading back to her hometown, Yeonseo activated her abilities.
Yeonseo’s power was space manipulation.
While a power-user from F or C rank might only manage to carry a lot of items in a game-like invisible inventory, Yeonseo’s capabilities allowed for teleportation, space compression, and even creating unimaginable physical shocks by forcibly stretching space.
When she first met Shia, she had attacked her with a mass of space compressed to the size of a soccer field, but thankfully, no one got hurt.
Anyway, having suddenly freed up some time, Yeonseo used her ability to teleport to the Erosion Dungeon she was familiar with.
Usually, she would just drive there, but this place needed to stay off the radar.
It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to think some obsessive fans might follow her all the way here.
“…It’s been a while.”
Yeonseo arrived at a high plateau.
Below was a desert of nothing but sand, but the plateau where she stood was developed in tiered layers like the tall mountains of Gangwon-do. In suitable areas, various plants and cultivated fields grew, and amidst the fog, cabbages soaked in moisture and dew were thriving.
“Yeona! Have you been well?”
Yeonseo poured some liquor she brought from somewhere into a small cup resting on a tiny gravestone in front of her house.
“I don’t know if my Yeona likes alcohol, but I wish we could share a drink together. This forgetful old lady hasn’t done much for you.”
With a gentle voice, as if putting a child to sleep, Yeonseo caressed the gravestone.
The quiet house, the cabbages, and the cool breeze swayed her hair.
“I’m sorry for not coming often.”
Yeona, Yeonseo’s granddaughter and Yeonhwa’s sister.
During the Second Great Rift, she sacrificed herself to protect Yeonhwa and ultimately died.
“Every time I come here, I think I’ve lived a wrong life…”
While others hailed her as the strongest Hunter and praised her for decades, she pondered…
What kind of strongest Hunter could she be if she couldn’t even protect a single granddaughter?
“Yeonhwa has become an A-grade Hunter. She officially received her Hunter name not long ago. I’m not sure if she’ll be thrilled, but I had a Hunter badge made for her.”
Being too busy to do anything, while she had been busy saving others, she could only watch her granddaughter’s death. It remains her biggest sore point and pain.
“Ah, Yeonhwa made a friend. She’s a pretty strong sister, named Isia. She’s a Returnee, and she might even be comparable or even stronger than me. Since Isia came into her life, my icy granddaughter has even accepted my whining… Today, they even promised to eat together. I don’t think she would have bothered to respond in the past, though…”
Pouring the drink onto the gravestone, Yeonseo pictured Yeona’s face in her mind.
She had blue hair like Yeonhwa and shared similar features, but… her face was slowly fading from memory.
Forgetting the face of a loved one is an immensely terrifying thing.
“Then, I’ll be heading off now. I’ll make an effort to come more often.”
After completely pouring the liquor on the gravestone, Yeonseo rose and sat in the front yard of the house.
It featured some expensive-looking parasols and chairs, along with several spherical drones.
These hunting assistance AI drones were the latest models Yeonseo extorted from Director Lee of the Association, the same type Shia had received from the Hunter Association.
“Now then, let’s start a broadcast after a long time.”
She then turned on the broadcast.
Yeonseo, the strongest S-grade Hunter.
And surprisingly, she was one of the first to do Hunter streaming.
She’s credited with improving the public image of Hunters, and the crucial role she played in this was her Hunter streaming.
Hunters are human too.
Hunters have their fun.
Hunters can feel familiarity as they tackle dungeons with hiccups; it all started from Yeonseo’s streams.
Of course, being the dignified and mature person she was, she didn’t do the shock-value streams like today’s Hunter streamers.
If it were her younger days, it might have been different, but at some point, Yeonseo stopped those noisy broadcasts and started a new one after retirement.
Scent of Rural Grandma.
That was the title of Yeonseo’s stream.
“Hello.”
“Yeonseo Grandma, long time no see!”
“Hello!”
“Hiiiii!”
“Long time no see!”
“Grandma, heh!”
“Wow!”
“How long has it been since the last broadcast?”
Her streams were popular, boasting not only many fans due to her title as the strongest S-grade but also a significant number of overseas viewers.
“Long time no see, my dears. How’ve you been?”
“Yes!”
“Hello, Grandma~”
“Grandma, you’re so pretty!”
“Really!”
“Where did you go last time?”
“Oh, the Overbreak? Nothing much happened. Dungeons suddenly mutated, so I helped some kids stuck there. Other than that, I’ve just been taking flights as many kids are looking for me.”
“But with Grandma’s powers, you could just go without a plane, right?”
“That’s true, but in the end, this old lady is getting older, too. Using my powers is like running a 100-meter dash for kids. My abilities also consume stamina and energy, so if I can travel comfortably, I’d prefer to do so.”
Unlike other streams filled with malicious net runners and terrible trolls, Yeonseo’s broadcast was pure as can be.
No, it was beyond pure; her speech was awkward, and the atmosphere felt reserved.
It raised questions if it could even be the same viewers throwing insults in other Hunter streams.
Yeonseo’s streams were simple.
Unlike other Hunter broadcasts, she didn’t dive into dungeons showcasing flashy actions and monster battles.
It was just regular chit-chat.
And the main content revolved around how to cultivate organic highland farming in this desert-like dungeon.
Highland farming.
For those who learned about this in school, they’d know it refers to the agricultural practice of growing vegetables, potatoes, and flowers in high-altitude areas where it remains relatively cool even during summer, receiving ample rainfall and less sunlight.
The basic climate involves heavy frost, and even during the warmest times, the average temperature should be around 20 degrees Celsius, with significant temperature differences between day and night.
In Korea, highland farming primarily occurs in the mountainous areas of Gangwon-do, represented by cabbages and potatoes as the main produce.
“Should I get up and check? I need to see if the cabbages are growing well.”
“Yes, yes, yes!”
“What kind of fertilizer do you use?”
“By the way, since you turned the soil over last time, hasn’t anything changed?”
“Seriously, lol!”
Feeling like she was taking care of cute grandchildren, Yeonseo deftly launched her drone camera, prompting it to follow her.
“Speaking of which, didn’t you kids say school is starting soon? You don’t want to go, huh?”
“Yes, ㅠㅜ!”
“I don’t want to go to school!”
“Grandma, destroy the school!”
“Oh dear, that wouldn’t work. Even if I did, it would still be virtual classes.”
“Logical indeed…”
“That’s true.”
“Thinking about it, that’s right…”
“Alright, the cabbages… oh, they’re growing well.”
Yeonseo gazed in admiration at a field of hundreds, thousands of thriving cabbages.
There was no need to worry about pests in this dungeon.
While circumstances vary in different dungeons, where there are no pests, there’s no need to use pesticides, allowing for naturally organic, chemical-free vegetable cultivation.
Yeonseo sat down in the field and opened one of the cabbages.
Full and fragrant, it emanated a subtle sweetness, making it a unique specialty of Yeonseo that couldn’t be found outside.
“Fortunately, it seems to be a good harvest this time. Last time, I must have messed up the soil, as I didn’t have much robust cabbage then, but this highland farming is successful.”
Of course, highland farming is a tremendously tedious and difficult task.
No, it’s not just highland farming; all farming that involves growing and cultivating crops is inherently worthy of respect for being hard, complex, and bothersome work.
But who is Yeonseo?
“Alright, let’s flip the soil first.”
Kuuuuuuun!
“Uwoo, wow.”
“Every time I see Grandma’s powers, my heart leaps.”
“Wooow!*
“The cabbages are in perfect formation in the air.”
The strongest Hunter with space manipulation.
With just a flick of her hand, all the cabbages that were embedded in the ground simultaneously shook off the dirt and floated into the air.
“Hmm, this one’s rotting. Too much water can be bad… I should have come just a day earlier and it might have been fine…”
Carefully examining the floating cabbages, Yeonseo snapped her fingers and began stacking them by the house.
The highland cabbages imbued with dungeon mana were incomparable to ordinary ones.
The mana contained within them made them not only packed with nutrition but also sometimes spurred awakening abilities in those who initially had none, according to reports.
Thanks to this, the Hunter Association occasionally begged Yeonseo for her cabbages or fruits for research needs.
Typically, she gave these cabbages to dear friends, but occasionally, she whimsically hosted viewer events to share them with her beloved little ones, the viewers who adored her streams.
However, ever since incidents of awakening stimulation related to the mana contents arose, she has refrained from giving them to random viewers. Nonetheless, some would go to her family and others she wished to share with.
Looking at the tall piles of cabbages, Yeonseo smiled.
“Quite a bounty.”
She snapped her fingers again, and the cabbages disappeared, then she turned the previously empty field upside down, shaking the soil like an earthquake before carefully lining up the cabbage seeds for planting.
Of course, during that process, Yeonseo merely sat leisurely in her chair, flicking her fingers.
“Growing cabbages… so simple…?”
“Just a few finger snaps, and the farm is done, haha!”
“If farmers saw this, they’d get a nosebleed.”
“What does a nosebleed mean?”
“Nothing!”
“Nothing at all.”
“Shhhh.”
“What’s going on? Is this really Yeonseo?”
“If you just joined, read the rules.”
“I’m a newbie.”
“Hey!”
“Anyway, my dear cabbages should feel hefty, the outer leaves should be green, and when you taste the inner leaves, they should be sweet and savory; that’s the best cabbage. Oh, and when you unfold the cabbage, you’ll see small yellow inner leaves, right? In my youth, we called that ‘gogaengi’.”
Gogaengi, lol!
“When was that?”
“True Grandma! We don’t understand anything from those stories!”
“That tone is really annoying; is it normally like this here?”
“Is that really Yeonseo?”
“Whoa…”
“Haven’t you ever heard of a cabbage?”
“Just make sure you remember it. If your parents ever eat cabbage, you’ll have something to boast about.”
Yeonseo took a small cabbage leaf, the inner young shoot known as gogaengi, and put some into her mouth.
“Huuhuh, the crunchiness is nice. Next time, I just need to adjust water and humidity.”
“Grandma, please answer the questions and don’t ignore us!”
“Is it really Yeonseo?”
“Why do you keep ignoring me?”
“Why is the donation stuck here?”
“If you’re new, please read the broadcast rules.”
“What’s going on? Is this really Yeonseo’s stream?”
“What’s the deal with the chat being so lively all of a sudden?”
At that moment, as Yeonseo was examining the space, a different sight appeared in front of her.
Suddenly, her space was filled with the sound of chaos.
“Moh?!”
“Eh?! What’s happening?”
In front of her, the usual serenity of the chat was replaced with pure chaos, and a few malicious trolls had invaded everywhere.
“Are you all okay?”
“Oh no, they seem like troublemakers here.”
“Please stop with that nonsense.”
And then…
“AHHHHHH!”
A loud bang echoed as if someone just knocked the table down.
“I… I see you losers decided to crash again?”
In front of her, the infamous bad trolls surfaced, and an evident glint of mischief twinkled in their eyes.
“What’s your name, kiddo?!”
It was chaotic, and laughter erupted.
A live broadcast from such a legend could only elicit these words—such wit, such a feisty audience. But Yeonseo was ready for it.
“Now, everyone, behave yourselves, okay?”
A few excited cheers rippled through the crowd while the naughty trolls looked around nervously.
“Anyway, it’s still surprisingly fun to see all of you here!”
Yeonseo smirked at the rowdy and lively chat, welcoming them into her world while keeping an eye on the mischievous trolls at the same time.
“However, let’s remember to keep it clean here!”
Her power enveloped the chaotic room with a warm light, calming the raging storm.
With a wave of her hand, she sealed the budding chaos and brought stability back to the broadcast.
It was just another day in the life of the legendary Hunter Yeonseo. The unbeatable, the invincible, and surely now, the unignorable grandma of broadcasting.
