A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 69

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 69: Hunter Academy (5)

 

Lee Cheong-ryu’s sword gleamed. The blade drew a clean line as it cut through the Bone Dragon’s bones.

The fact that he cut rather than crushed them revealed the level of his swordsmanship.

 

‘The physical strength to slice through those hard bones in one strike, and his weapon mastery…’

 

My gaze followed Lee Cheong-ryu’s movements with overwhelming intensity.

 

‘However, I still can’t see his skill list.’

 

The ‘Gate’ skill alone was already at a cheat-like level.

On top of that, with such mobility and close combat abilities… It was no different from having everything by himself.

 

Clang clang clang!

 

Soon after, iron spears appeared from Lee Cheong-ryu’s gate.

They instantly trapped the Bone Dragon, piercing through and shattering its bones.

 

‘There must be a weakness somewhere.’

 

Since Spiritual Sight didn’t work on him, I couldn’t do anything about it.

Well, he’s not even an enemy, so there’s no need to find out his weaknesses. I thought this way and dismissed my thoughts.

 

“That bastard…”

 

…Of course, he was an enemy to this side…

 

I averted my gaze from the curse words coming from Yu-kyung. I also pretended not to hear the sound of grinding teeth.

 

Thoom, clang clang!

 

Crumbled bone powder filled the air.

The hologram soon scattered and disappeared. In its place, the number 98.4 appeared.

 

“….”

 

Yu-kyung crossed her arms and stared at that score. However, her face didn’t look relieved or triumphant.

 

“Just a 1-point difference…”

 

Her eyebrows twitched.

 

‘She’s pissed off, completely and properly pissed off.’

 

I instinctively suppressed my presence. How on earth did Choi Yu-il survive 20 years living next to this aura.

 

‘1 point is probably a huge difference.’

 

According to what I heard from Nam Jae-yoon, the academic competition at the Academy was beyond imagination. Even a 0.01-point difference could greatly affect rankings.

That’s probably why they desperately try to bribe related personnel, as Jung Yeo-jun said…

 

“I need to increase my personal training.”

 

Yu-kyung was never satisfied. Are all Guild Leaders addicted to training?

 

[Hunter Lee Cheong-ryu! He instantly defeats the troublesome Bone Dragon!]

 

The electronic display board showed Lee Cheong-ryu smiling refreshingly.

Cheers with higher decibels than before filled the arena.

It was also a signal that his battle had completely ended.

 

‘Then next is…’

 

I hardened my expression. Yu-kyung also withdrew her attention from Lee Cheong-ryu and looked at me.

 

“Will you be okay?”

 

Sister Yu-kyung knows. Choi Yu-il does too. The two siblings were the only people who knew about my childhood.

To that question mixed with concern, I.

 

“I’ll be fine.”

 

— You don’t need to worry.

 

In a calm tone, that’s all I said.

 

[Then we should jump right into the main game before the excitement cools down!]

 

I walked toward the arena.

The hem of my shaman robes fluttering in the wind felt light.

 

* * *

 

As I set both feet in the middle of the arena, I felt a sensation quite different from when I was watching from the spectator seats.

 

[Today’s special lesson is a 1-on-1 battle with an actual professional Hunter!]

 

“Fighting against a pro?”

“Hey, this is actually kind of interesting.”

“Who’s he going to fight?”

“No matter what, how could he match up against a pro?”

“If it’s the top-ranked kids, what’s impossible about it?”

 

Gazes mixed with curiosity, doubt, and disbelief all focused on me at once.

I raised my head. Heo Gil, sitting in the highest seat, came into view. He was looking down at this place.

 

[Hunter Eun Hae-dam, unusually unaffiliated with any guild and ranked A-class!]

 

My name was introduced through the announcer’s voice. Hearing those three syllables of my name in such a place felt quite awkward.

 

“His outfit’s unusual.”

“I thought he was from Blue Dragon, but he’s really not?”

“A-rank is still A-rank, but what level is he?”

“He doesn’t particularly look strong.”

“Oh. That level should be decent enough.”

 

Noisy murmuring. Eyes sizing up the opponent from every angle. This much was familiar.

 

 

I narrowed my brow. The voices layering in my head became even more severe.

 

‘This is why I avoided it all this time.’

 

Everything that overlaps with the past drags up old memories.

If I hadn’t been caught by Red Wings and brought here, I probably would have turned away for life.

From school, and from the wounds it contained.

Because I was afraid of the voices I would hear again.

 

“Hah…”

 

I took a small deep breath and blinked. Calm eyes filled the electronic display board.

 

[The Academy student who will face Hunter Eun Hae-dam today has been specially selected!]

 

At the words that followed, the murmuring in the arena grew even louder.

 

[It’s the Academy’s ranking 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place students—!]

 

Waaaaaaah—!

 

It soon transformed into anticipation and cheers.

 

“…Ha.”

 

I raised one corner of my mouth. Well, it wasn’t an unexpected development. 1st through 3rd place. Given the words I’d spoken myself, it was reasonable enough.

 

‘Am I nervous?’

 

I fingered the handle of the Spirit General Sword.

 

And then…

 

I glanced at a spot in the spectator seats that had been catching my eye since earlier.

There sat Jung Yeo-jun with his face pale as a sheet.

 

‘He looks like he got it completely wrong.’

 

That innocent expression was amusing, so I finally smiled slightly.

 

* * *

 

Jung Yeo-jun, sitting in a corner of the spectator seats, trembled with his face gone white.

He couldn’t believe the situation unfolding before his eyes.

 

‘It was the wrong idea…’

 

I thought he might be a lifeline to help me escape from here.

 

‘Unaffiliated, not even Blue Dragon, just someone who came to give a special class.’

 

All his expectations had been wrong.

Even more so…

 

[The Academy student who will face Hunter Eun Hae-dam today has been specially selected! It’s the Academy’s ranking 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place students—!]

 

‘What…!’

 

Jung Yeo-jun’s face became even more ashen.

 

‘There’s absolutely no way to win.’

 

Strong people can be recognized the moment you make eye contact. It was an instinctive sense as an Awakened.

However, when Jung Yeo-jun had desperately grabbed onto Eun Hae-dam.

He felt neither strength nor stamina from him. Not even the unique atmosphere of a high-ranking Hunter.

That’s why he thought even more that he was a scout.

 

“The Dean pulled another scheme…”

 

Setting up a fake and trying to promote the higher-ranking kids again.

To think I asked for help without even realizing that, like a fool…

 

‘How ridiculous must I have looked.’

 

Jung Yeo-jun hung his head low. Now, truly, was there no way left?

 

* * *

 

Choi Yu-kyung quietly watched the arena.

The figure standing alone there showed no change from the face she had known for over ten years.

 

‘He’d be disgusted if he heard this.’

 

Choi Yu-kyung chuckled. Unlike her younger brother who pathetically caused trouble everywhere, Eun Hae-dam had something mature about him.

Not just his suspiciously aged food preferences… various aspects of him. He definitely wasn’t typical for his age group.

 

‘Still, I can’t help but worry…’

 

“What do you think, from Red Dog’s perspective?”

“….”

“Does it look like he’ll win?”

 

The person who had been sitting quietly the whole time. Choi Yu-kyung asked Hong I-jo, who had his red wings folded.

He gave no particular answer. Choi Yu-kyung continued her sentence.

 

“From rank 10 onwards, comparing them to those below is meaningless. That’s why guilds put all their effort into recruitment.”

“….”

“Everyone knows Academy graduates have bad personalities, but for rank 5 and above, even that becomes meaningless….”

 

Among the Awakened who awakened during their minor years, those skilled enough to be counted among the top five fingers nationwide.

From there, the contract money jumps to completely different units, and the conditions are almost entirely set by the students themselves.

The highest grade gems, and the treatment that came with them.

 

“What do you think?”

“….”

“I’m someone who worries a lot when it comes to that kid.”

 

[Now, Hunter Eun Hae-dam’s first opponent is the Academy’s rank 3 student!]

 

The announcer’s voice spread widely.

Hong I-jo gazed quietly at Eun Hae-dam and the rank 3 student walking into the arena.

 

“…That’s right.”

 

His eyes, heavy with dark circles, followed the white-haired student.

 

“From rank 3 onwards, they’re completely different creatures….”

“….”

“Defeat wouldn’t be strange….”

 

Choi Yu-kyung’s expression darkened.

 

‘Should I not have high expectations?’

 

Come to think of it, I had never directly seen Eun Hae-dam fight. That might be why I was more worried.

Choi Yu-il’s words, reports from incoming staff members, and briefly recorded videos were enough to judge and make him the top recruitment priority, and he truly was such a talent.

But since she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, it was natural that she couldn’t easily get a feel for it.

 

‘…Right. Let me put that aside.’

 

What Choi Yu-kyung wanted to know was something else anyway.

 

‘Just how much have you grown?’

 

Had his awakening as a Hunter made him stronger? Choi Yu-kyung was curious about that.

Whether he had become strong enough to overcome past trauma and stand up. She wanted to face him directly.

 

“…You don’t necessarily have to win perfectly.”

 

Choi Yu-kyung muttered quietly. To hope for that much, I wouldn’t have the conscience to face your old man.

 

‘Just that the kid who was sick with neurosis in that alley.’

 

Has now truly become a Hunter.

Has gained enough strength to overcome the past and stand up.

That much would be enough for Choi Yu-kyung to feel at ease.

 

* * *

 

A white-haired student positioned himself in front of me.

He looked straight at me, his opponent, with eyes that held not a shred of doubt.

 

[Academy rank 3, hologram best score is 91 points! This is also an amazing score!]

 

“You seemed to know that parachute instructor.”

“….”

“They say birds of a feather flock together. I just didn’t expect it to be proven true.”

 

A sneer spread across his face.

I didn’t react particularly and simply placed my hand on my scabbard.

 

‘Is this the guy who was talking in the classroom earlier?’

 

— Hey, that’s funny too. At least that place had Academy graduates. Isn’t this corruption real corruption?

 

The male student who had laughed while saying that. His unusual hair color had stuck in my memory.

 

“Interesting. I use a sword too.”

 

He said that while tapping his scabbard.

From the obviously luxurious-looking scabbard, a pure white blade was soon drawn with a shing—.

 

Waaaah—!!

 

The moment that blade revealed itself, the students’ cheers grew louder.

 

“That guy from the first match. What bad luck.”

“He may be annoying, but his skills are….”

 

The white-haired male student wore a confident smile and pointed his sword at me with a sharp motion.

 

[Hunter Eun Hae-dam and rank 3 student Gwak Han-yeol! The match begins now!]

 

“But I wonder if you can even hold a sword with those arms?”

 

Whoooosh!

 

The white-haired student, Gwak Han-yeol, rushed at me without even blinking.

Tremendously fast speed. At present, it was difficult to even keep up.

The sword shot forward in an instant, flashing before my eyes.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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