David Brennon

David is a stocky middle-aged man with light brown hair that he wears in a small ponytail, blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard. In his first appearance, he wore a simple white collared shirt and a pair of gray beige pants.

David is a sly and patriotic man who is willing to employ various tactics to recruit particularly powerful S-Rank Hunters for his country.

In the novel it is revealed that David’s daughter was one of the casualties in a dungeon break.

Jeju Island Arc

In the immediate aftermath of the 4th Jeju Island Raid, Michael Connor, the FBH's Deputy Director, met up with David at his home and showed him the footage of Jinwoo's fight with the Ant King. Seeing that Jinwoo was not only immensely powerful but also one-of-a-kind, the two of them agreed that his talent would be a waste in a country as small as Korea and Michael promised David that he would try his best to recruit him for America. Despite Adam and Norma's best efforts, however, they failed and returned back to the States in defeat, prompting David to devise another plan to recruit Jinwoo instead.

International Guild Conference Arc

When Jinwoo arrived in America to represent Korea at the International Guild Conference, David put his plan in motion and had Adam attempt to recruit him again by offering him Kamish's runestone. Much to his surprise, however, Adam came back to the Bureau and informed David that Jinwoo had no interest in the runestone and only wanted to see the dragon's preserved corpse. Although he was initially confused by Jinwoo's request, David eventually realized that he wanted to make Kamish one of his shadow soldiers and reluctantly gave Jinwoo permission after much thought.

David was astonished when he saw Kamish's shadow rise from the corpse and break the mana enforced containment around it. In the face of Kamish running amok, a subordinate urged him to run, though David stayed where he was as he knew what Kamish was capable of and that fleeing would be pointless. The shadow ceased hostilities and obediently answered Jinwoo's questions, though neither David nor any of the others in the room could understand them. Due to the dragon being dead for eight years, Kamish could not remain a shadow for long and soon dissipated. After Jinwoo apologized for the mess and promised to pay for the damages, both David and Adam were mildly stunned as they saw Jinwoo leave in anger, smashing a steel door on the way out.

Later at the International Guild Conference, after Dr. Beltzer presented his findings on the number magispheres forming all around the world, David took the floor to inform the international community that Christopher Reed had been murdered. Furthermore he added that the prime suspect was a man who had been found in a Gate on American soil and after being interrogated by Hwang Dong soo, ruthless beat the S-Rank hunter and burned the Bureau headquarters to the ground. It was suspected that the man was a humanoid beast, though David added that there was a possibility other powerful humanoid monsters were involved and targeted Christopher all at once. He asked the representatives at the conference their help in locating Il-Hwan and the suspects.

Several of the members at the conference question David on the verification of whether the man was really a magic beast, which David answered that the Bureau's equipment detected that his mana was identical to one. Another though pointed out that the suspect identified himself as human, one claiming to someone who went missing in a dungeon, though it was noticed that David had yet to reveal the name of the man. The director declined as the suspect had a connection to one of the hunters present. However Liu Zhigang pressed the issue of revealing the identity of the man, having figured out that the hunter who was related was most likely Jinwoo. Having no recourse, David then revealed that the suspect is Jinwoo's father.

At the end of the conference, David approach Jinwoo and brought him to Norma who wanted to see him. Both he and Norma explained to Jinwoo that someone was hunting down the strongest hunters. And that Norma had foreseen Christopher Reed's death and tried to warn him, but was ignored by the hunter. Given that the murders far surpassed the capabilities of normal hunters, and how much the world depended on the hunters to maintain balance, David asked Jinwoo to help protect them. David admitted he was skeptical about asking for Jinwoo's help, but was convinced after seeing him fight Thomas Andre and offered him to give him Kamish's rune stone for his services.

To his surprise, Jinwoo declined, as the young man was unsure of who he should be fighting against. Despite this Jinwoo was convinced to meet with the ones that the Bureau wanted him to safeguard.

Final Battle Arc

David attended a gathering of world leaders and representatives from the Hunters Associations in South Kore, called on by Woo Jinchul, the new President of the Korean Hunters Association. At the conference room, he was impressed by the turnout of those in attendance to hear what Jinwoo had to say. The topic of the meeting turned out to be Jinwoo revealing the threat of the Monarchs. Initially many people in the room were in disbelief at such news, as they were confident that the National Level Hunters could stop them, but he and the other were shocked when Jinwoo displayed his ability to create several Gates as a demonstration of the enemy's unimaginable power.

When a representative next to David brought alleged that Jinwoo might be on the enemy's side, before hastily apologizing to not anger the hunter, David took a more conciliatory approach and asked what they should do in the face of this threat and was told that everyone should run away from the giant Gates.

After Antares laid waste to Canada and was making his way with an army of magic beasts to the rest of North America, David in his office now realizing that this was a disaster beyond human comprehension, found himself in a state of depression, and began drink copiously trying to forget the sheer hopelessness. However he knew it was only a matter of time before the monsters came to America and would lay waste to everything, signaling the start of the end of the world. Having lost his daughter to magic beasts, and wanting to die on his own terms, David contemplated suicide to escape the horrible future.

Though before he could commit to anything, Jinwoo appeared via Shadow Exchange before the broken man, urging him to give him the rune stone of Kamish. At first shocked by this request, David out of bureaucratic habit tried to deny this request before stopping himself that such protocols did not matter as the end of the world was happening and the country would be razed to the ground soon. Having sobered a bit up by the hunter's presence, David agreed to take Jinwoo to the rune stone, though asked why he needed and was informed that Jinwoo planned to use it in humanity's counterattack.

On the way to the rune stone, David was told of the truth, the purpose of the Gates, the Rulers, the Monarchs and the rune stones. Before the rune stone, David was still incredulous that the item could turn the tide of the war. Another favor was asked by Jinwoo, a meeting with Norma, to which David complied.

Whilst the hunters and armies of the Monarchs raged across America, David was seen with Norma in his office who was observing the battles from a distance. David lamented on the hopelessness of the situation, but Norma reminded her companion that Jinwoo was not their only hunter, that hunters from all across the globe have gathered together to fight against the surmounting threat. From the E-Rank to S-Rank hunters, Norma understood that the hunters knew how hopeless they felt in the face of the insurmountable. Even though many of them would fall, she still had hope of a future.

Epilogue

After the Rulers used the Cup of Reincarnation one last time per Jinwoo's request, David lost all his memories of the original timeline. In the new timeline, David was the Director of the CIA, and was present at a cabinet meeting with the President to address who the mysterious young was that fought an army of stone monsters out in the desert of their territory. As conventional meeting of identifying the boy were useless, David suggested they use an unconventional means via the world famous psychic Norma Selner who helped the US government in the past with her abilities.

Dave would make a personal visit to Norma who he noticed was baking and already entertaining an earlier guest. Not wanting to intrude, Dave wanted to get to the point, though Norma had this discussion with the Director, having told him, after meeting with 'him', the God of Death, she lost her abilities. Dave still was given three answers to three questions he was about to ask. The first answer that she knew who the person Dave was seeking, and the second being no in refusing to disclose his identity. This shocked Dave having thought she lost her abilities, though Norma claimed that the answers she gave him were based on the past and her intuition of the answers she thought he wanted. Over tea Norma admitted to knowing more than she should, which only made Dave all more wanting to know the identity of the young man, as his power was frightening, but admitted it did indeed save humanity.

To his amazement, Norma revealed that the instance in the desert was not the first time the boy had intervened. The idea shook Dave that humanity faced multiple threats like this without their knowledge. However though he wanted to ask more questions, he ultimately decided to trust Norma and drop the issue.

Ragnarok

David would eventually rise to the position of President of the United States winning the election with flying colors. However his term was met with difficulties due to the vast upheavals in the world caused by the various supernatural phenomena.

Solo Leveling: Ragnarok Project Arc

From a video feed, David watched Thomas Andre defeat the Apostle of Conquest at the White House with his cabinet. Although he defeated the monster threatening New York City, he and the others were fearful of the Hunter’s power as he had become something beyond an ordinary S-Rank Hunter. Then on the David and his cabinet recognized that Thomas was a National Level Hunter.

North Pole Arc

Due to a developing unknown situation in the North Pole, David went to Norma with Adam and his presidential detail for her insight. David and Adam went in alone to see Norma, and was greeted by her grandson. Norma had expected him, and appear to be aware of the situation developing in the North Pole.

The seer had asked the President if he had tried playing the Solo Leveling: Ragnarok game released by Ahjin Soft. David replied that he recognized it, given that the game was the most important development in the Hunter world as the game could forcibly Awaken people into Hunters. Due to his post as President, and the possible dangers of using the technology, David had refrained from playing it himself. However Norma insisted that he at least try playing it, preferably after his term ended.

When it was revealed that Norma was preparing to go on a trip, David expressed concern for her given the world was still recovering from the brief Second Cataclysm. His worries were brushed aside by Norma as she intended to go to South Korea to meet Sung Suho. However she was not flying any airplane. To the shock of him and his bodyguards Thomas Andre appeared in the room. Although his escorts thought him to be a threat, David told them to stand down as there was nothing really they could do to Thomas.

He witnessed Norma ask Thomas to bring her to Suho’s residence. Thomas then commanded the Shadow accompanying him to create a Gate for them to travel to South Korea. At Norma insistence, Adam was invited to come with her and Thomas. The President and his entourage witnessed the three cross through the anomaly.