Episode 6: The Real Hunt Begins

“	We're called hunters for a reason. And the real hunt begins now!	”
—Sung Jinwoo

Overview

Gallery

The Real Hunt Begins
Jinwoo preparing to kill Dongsuk's squad, as he follows a quest given by the System.
Season	Season 1
Episode	6
Air Date	February 10th, 2024 (Japanese) February 24th, 2024 (English)
Adapted From	Chapter 21 - Chapter 24 WB Chapter ? - Chapter ? NV
Arc	Dungeon & Lizards Arc
Credits
Studio	A-1 Pictures
Writer	Norimitsu Kaihō
Director	Takashi Sakuma
Music
Opening Theme	SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] : TOMORROW X TOGETHER - LEveL
Ending Theme	krage - request
Soundtrack	SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] : XAI - DARK ARIA
Episode Guide
Previous	Episode 5
Next	Episode 7

The Real Hunt Begins is the 6th episode of the TV anime series.

Synopsis

While the C-Rank dungeon raid by Jinwoo and the others seems to be progressing well, the moment they step into an area covered in mana stones with a sleeping dungeon boss, things take a wrong turn.

Key Points

• Jinwoo versus a giant spider.
• Yoo Jinho realizing Jinwoo is a lot stronger than he says he is.
• Chairman Go sparring with Woo Jinchul.
• Jinwoo versus Hwang Dongsuk’s group.
• The system telling Jinwoo to kill his new opponents, leading to Jinwoo realizing that he has to kill fellow humans.
• The fantastic insert song “DARK ARIA” by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] featuring XAI.

Summary

Hwang Dongsuk and his team of lizards leave the dungeon's gate, planning to sneak back through the upper side tunnels after the formidable Giant Arachnid Buryura has handled Jinwoo and Jinho. They look down on Jinwoo, known as the Weakest Hunter, and Jinho, who has no raid experience. However, they eye Jinho's expensive gear, anticipating the valuable loot they could collect from him after the confrontation.

Their conversation reveals a selfish motive: to loot around 1 billion WON's worth of Mana Crystals and avoid battling the Arachnid unless necessary, carelessly risking a dungeon break. Outside the gate, Dongsuk cynically researches Jinho's father, Yoo Myunghan, plotting to feign sympathy at Jinho's funeral should he perish. Dongsuk and Kyuhwan admit to each other that they couldn't defeat the Arachnid alone, mocking the perilous fate they've left Jinwoo and Jinho in.

In the C-Rank dungeon boss's lair, with a very angry spider looming, Jinho suggests that they find an exit instead of fighting, considering one needs to be at least B-Rank to solo a C-Rank boss. Yet Jinwoo, undeterred by the danger that surpasses that of Kasaka and the Stone Golem he defeated before, refuses to retreat. With a defiant smirk, Jinwoo surges forward to engage the spider, beginning his assault to Jinho's astonishment.

Despite his relentless efforts, Jinwoo's dagger, Kasaka's Venom Fang, fails to penetrate the spider's tough exoskeleton. He doesn't give up, striking repeatedly and nimbly avoiding the powerful blows from the arachnid's legs, yet his attacks make no progress. Witnessing the speed and skill of Jinwoo, Jinho is rooted to the spot in shock, unable to fathom that Jinwoo could be merely an E-Rank. The thought crosses his mind that Jinwoo might have deliberately falsified his rank. He knows of False Rankers, rare hunters who can manipulate their mana readings because they enjoy to kill, which now instills a new sense of fear in him about Jinwoo. Overwhelmed by the situation, Jinho collapses to his knees, his thoughts turning to his father and questioning his own presence in this perilous place.

Jinwoo is quickly getting fatigued by using his speed and agility for his relentless attacks. He can’t find a weak spot. Suddenly, he runs out of stamina, and the magic beast lands a hit. Just before it makes the killing blow, Jinwoo accepts the Full Recovery reward granted by completing his dailies. Reenergized, he leaps in the air and pierces the spider in an eye. The weapon’s paralysis and drain effects do the rest, and Jinwoo gains a few levels when the dungeon boss falls. Jinho plasters a fake smile on his face and calls Jinwoo “boss” as he offers him a bottle of water. Jinwoo doesn’t understand why he’s acting so strangely. The raid party appears in the tunnels above them, surprised to see them both alive.

Elsewhere Chairman Go, the leader of the Hunters Guild, is tired after a day of meetings. His subordinate Jinchul suggests training together for a change of pace. Go easily blocks Jinchul’s attacks before landing a punch that sends the younger man flying. He thanks Jinchul and says their sparring match was just what he needed. Go also compliments him on keeping up his training, as it can make all the difference in a dangerous dungeon.

Back in the boss lair, the treacherous lizards return. They mistakenly believes that Jinho must have defeated the spider using his expensive gear. Dongsuk then presents Jinho with a sinister ultimatum: kill Jinwoo to save his own life. However, Jinho refuses to betray Jinwoo. In response, Dongsuk commands his group to eliminate the weaker hunter first. At this moment, a System message appears, charging Jinwoo with the task of slaying the six murderous hunters. Amidst this tense situation, the mage Kyuhwan seizes the opportunity to launch a magic attack on Jinwoo while he is distracted, launching him into the dungeon wall.

Lee Bora and Gina off duty, meeting Park Heejin for lunch

Park Heejin of the White Tiger Guild meets up with two friends from the Hunters Guild back in the city for lunch. Heejin asks how their A-Rank dungeon training with the famed S-Rank hunter Cha Hae-In went. They tell her it went fast; while they struggled, Cha slew an A-Rank beast easily. The trio chats as they sip their tea. Gina comments that they’re lucky to be in reputable guilds, as some dungeon strike teams have suspicious fatality rates.

Back in the dungeon, Jinwoo lies in the rubble from Cho Kyuhwan's attack and thinks about how their world encourages survival of the strongest. The System is telling him to kill other humans or he’ll die himself. Why does it want to keep him alive? He pulls himself up to stand, deciding that if the System wants to use him, he’ll use it in return.

Juntae, a traitorous D-Rank hunter, confidently approaches Jinwoo – who slices off his head before Juntae finishes his sentence. Jinwoo recognizes that he’s now a murderer, even if he’s just obeying the System, but can’t back down. He kills the others, leaving just the C-Rank party leader Dongsuk.

Jinwoo easily dodges Dongsuk’s attack and takes him down with one hand; he’d been leveling up the entire time. The desperate hunter pleads for mercy, but Jinwoo emotionlessly replies that Dongsuk attempted to kill him three times. Jinwoo removes his head, and the dungeon begins to close. Jinho and Jinwoo make it safely outside. A representative from the Hunters Guild is surprised that the D-Rank and E-Rank hunters were the only survivors, but assumes it’s because of Jinho’s high-quality equipment.

As rain begins to fall from the evening sky, Jinwoo is glad he gave his sister an umbrella that morning.

Appearances

In order of appearance:

Humans

• Hwang Dongsuk (Death) - Strike Team Captain, Killed by Jinwoo.
  • Goo Juntae (Death) - Killed By Jinwoo.
  • Jinsuk (Death) - Killed By Jinwoo.
  • Min Seok (Death) - Killed By Jinwoo.
  • Cho Kyuhwan (Death) - Killed By Jinwoo.
  • Lee Chul-Jin (Death) - Killed By Jinwoo.
• Sung Jinwoo
• Yoo Jinho
• Go Gunhee
• Woo Jinchul
• Park Heejin (Debut)
• Gina (Debut)
• Lee Bora (Debut)
• Cha Hae-In (Flashback/Cameo)
• Son Kihoon (Flashback/Cameo)
• Female Investigator (Debut) - Works in Hunter Association.
• Hwang Dongsoo (Cameo)

Magic Beasts

• Giant Arachnid Buryura
• Blue Venom-Fanged Kasaka (Flashback)
• Stone Golem (Flashback)

Locations

• Insects Dungeon
• Hapjeong Subway Station (Flashback)
• Hunter's Association Gym

Items

• Kill the Enemies

Anime & Manhwa Differences

• General Differences
• Added in Anime
• Cut from Anime

• Jinwoo killed 6 hunters including Hwang Dongsuk. In the manhwa, he killed 8.
• Hwang Dongsuk and his team decide to wait for the dungeon boss to defeat Jinwoo and Jinho, planning to re-enter when it sleeps again to gather Mana Crystals through a side tunnel back into the boss room. In the manhwa, the team simply uses magic to blast and forcefully make their way back into the boss chamber. Notably, Dongsuk advises against doing this in the Anime.

Scene featuring the Chairman of the Korean Hunters Association, the S-Rank Go Gun-Hee, and his deputy, Woo Jin-Chul, as he's collected from a meeting.