Chapter 98 (1/2)

Episode 98. The War of the Stars (4)

“Go easy on me, Hyeong-nim. We have to enter a Rift next week.”

“Yeah, let’s not hurt each other.”

The battles between the 1st class Hunters were surprisingly dull.

‘They’re hardly using half of their power.’

It was wrong to expect people who knew each other’s schedules and circumstances to exchange blows in earnest.

They showed their abilities in moderation, and as soon as their Association-issued hunting suits were scratched, they declared defeat. 1st class Hunters didn’t care about the Association’s rankings anyway.

Even if they won the event, they only received a small sum. The Internet raved about the rankings, but the actual people they met, scouts and people working in the Hunting industry, didn’t care about the rankings at all.

What mattered most to a Hunter was results. Some were visibly bored, and others surrendered before they even started.

For 1st class Hunters -The War of the Stars- was an event where they wasted 2 hours and earned some pocket money. It was nothing more or less.

“Hah… Wow!”

Of course, it was different for spectators watching the event who bought the high-priced tickets sold by the Association. They were enthusiastic even when the 1st class Hunters fought half-heartedly and only revealed part of their abilities.

After all, this event was incomparable to animations and Hollywood blockbusters. Even in a world full of Awakened people, it was hard for ordinary people to witness powerful abilities and battle scenes.

Civilians mostly encountered dispatch Hunters and mercenaries, who didn’t possess fancy abilities. They fought desperately with a single sword or used practical magic to protect people.

But 1st class Hunters were on a different level. Even a single punch by a 1st class Hunter was different. The spectators would probably find it hard to believe that they were the same human beings.

…Because I used to feel that way, too.

“Oh, didn’t you say you’d go easy?”

“I did. What, I should just let you hit me and lose?”

“Ha… damn. I was respecting your seniority, but now you’re really pissing me off.”

And sometimes, a small mistake leading to hot emotions could result in a real show. The audience shouted at the sight of house-sized fireballs exploding everywhere and dozens of swords flying in the sky.

As top Hunters, there were bound to be a few with high egos.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“You are very engaged in the match. You must be interested.”

“……?”

“Oh, have we never met before? I’ve seen a lot of your pictures.”

It was Seong Yoo-hyun. He was offering his hand with a nice smile.

“I’m Seong Yoo-hyun. You know me, don’t you?”

“Well, yes. I’ve seen a lot of your pictures, too.”

I shook his hand.

“I was always interested in you, and I’ve met you at last! Haha.”

But he didn’t let go of my hand. This jerk. He’s playing childish games.

“Let’s fight hard. I mean… you aren’t going to give up like a wimp or mess around like those guys, are you? I know it won’t suit you.”

He said in a low voice that didn’t match his smiling face.

“Hey! Seong Yoo-hyun, did you just say mess around? Are you crazy? Right in front of everyone…….”

One of the Hunters must have heard him. He stood up and yelled. Seong Yoo-hyun, still smiling, turned his head to look at him.

“So what? You were such a wimp. Or was that all you got?”

“What? You crazy son of a…….”

“Kim Min-jae, president of the Association, is missing. It was decided at the meeting that we would do this properly, but look at you. Do you really want to take money from the Association and use it for food, clothes, and a bed after doing such a clumsy job? Just leave quietly. Before I get angry.”

The Hunter flinched at Seong Yoo-hyun’s voice. There was a gap between first-class Hunters. While he was certainly a skillful Hunter, he didn’t seem strong enough to confront Seong Yoo-hyun openly.

Seong Yoo-hyun stood out even among the 1st class Hunters, earning the nickname ‘Hunter above the sky’. He had fought on the front lines for several years, and his senses were honed to the limit.

“Huh? I told you to leave, not stare at me like a piece of X.”

Or maybe he was just backing off because nobody wants to touch a crazy dog…….

The Hunter looked disgusted as he turned away after watching Seong Yoo-hyun act like an unhinged person. Seong Yoo-hyun smiled widely again as soon as the Hunter returned to his seat.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve been holding your hand. I was just angry.”

“…….”

“Well, let’s have a good fight, okay?”

Seong Yoo-hyun let go of my hand that he had been holding tightly. Then he straightened his clothes and turned around to go back to his seat.

[He’s nuts. But why did you stay still? It’s not like you to stay quiet.]

“I’ll just show him my skills. What’s the need?”

[Hahaha, that’s right.]

“And.”

I sat down and looked at my hand.

“That guy, he’s really strong.”

The skin on my hand where his fingers had gripped was torn, and I could see the muscle fibers. I scratched my head, looking at my messed up hand. My body wasn’t human, so I would recover in a few minutes. But somehow, I felt debased.

“Well, he’ll be crawling on the floor in a minute anyway.”

* * *

“It’s Hunter Jeong Si-woo and Hunter Seong Yoo-hyun’s turn.”

I did not have to wait for long. Most 1st class Hunters hated wasting time, so the battle results were swiftly decided.

“Okay.”

I slowly stood up. As I stood, a few people stared.

‘Is that Jeong Si-woo? That famous rookie?’ they seemed to say. Some of them looked even stronger than me.

The reason for all the attention was fame. A Hunter who had never failed, a man who became a 1st class Hunter only two years after his debut. It was no surprise that they were curious.

“He’ll lose to Seong Yoo-hyun, though, right?”

“Of course. No matter how great a Hunter he is… Seong Yoo-hyun isn’t someone a newcomer can beat. What’s more, it’s a one-on-one battle in a tiny stadium.”

The Hunters predicted the outcome of the battle between me and Seong Yoo-hyun based on their insight. Everyone was anticipating my defeat. It was a fair prediction.

Seong Yoo-hyun wasn’t an easy opponent for any of the 1st class Hunters, and his career up till now was no match for a rookie.

“I hope we have a good match.”

Yeah. I’m sure Seong Yoo-hyun thinks so too. That there’s no way he’s going to lose to a kid. That’s why he threatened me so blatantly. He must have decided to destroy the goddamn Hunter who killed his precious Association President.

“Yes, I’ll try my best. I hope I don’t just helplessly lose to you.”

We exchanged a few words in the middle of the stadium.

Countless people in the stands are holding their breath and watching us. Hunters in the waiting room were probably also watching through the big TV screen.

“You both know the rules of the match, right? If you exhaust the durability of your hunting suit, you lose. If you keep attacking after the suit is destroyed, you’ll be disqualified.”

A staff member from the Association stood between us and explained the rules. I had heard them before—provisions to keep valuable 1st class Hunters from getting injured. But the look on the staff’s face was somewhat odd.