A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 73
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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 73: Proof (4)
He didn’t want to look ahead. Jung Yeo-jun was trembling with both hands clasped together.
‘…I ruined everything.’
The consecutive victories. The incredible triumph that made viewers feel refreshed, something unbelievable.
The guilt that he was ruining all of it stabbed him sharply.
The glaring eyes were chilling. Every time, threatening like that and unleashing unavoidable attacks under the pretense of sparring.
Jung Yeo-jun tried hard to ignore the stinging scars. Why, why did I awaken such an ability when I’m just C-rank.
Instead of lending a hand to allies, was I destined to just be exploited.
If you’re so confident, go ahead alone. Don’t make excuses like discovering and using useful things is also part of being first place…
Jung Yeo-jun never opened his closed eyes. Trembling, his deeply bowed head and hunched shoulders shook.
‘But still…’
“Looks like we’re going to create another stage for Myeong Geon-woo.”
“Wasn’t he from some wealthy family—. Getting the spotlight like that every time is quite a talent.”
“Wonder if he’ll start his own guild after graduation… Tsk. I thought the rankings might get overturned for once.”
“Wake up from that dream. This place never changes. I just feel sorry for the first-years who’ll come in the future.”
‘What’s the point.’
He could hear his classmates’ voices around him.
Indifferent tones. The way people spoke after entering the Academy with dreams only to taste the bitterness of reality.
Jung Yeo-jun pulled down his school uniform sleeve.
‘…Let’s quit.’
Even knowing that the expectations that had heated up after so long would shatter. Let’s not shatter them with my own hands.
This was his last remaining conscience and courage.
‘…Release.’
Jung Yeo-jun finally opened his closed eyes. However, the atmosphere in the arena was a bit strange.
Kwaaaaang—!
“Hey, get away, right now—!”
“What’s happening all of a sudden?!”
“Students with defense type skills come forward!”
An explosion was heard. It was right before he had released his skill.
In just a few seconds, the students moved in unison and rushed forward. The Awakened acting as tanks deployed transparent defensive barriers.
The scene visible beyond those barriers was—.
“…Huh?”
Bright blue flames filled Jung Yeo-jun’s vision.
* * *
“You, until the very end…”
I looked at Myeong Geon-woo’s face, confident of victory, while wearing an incredulous smile.
Shaaaak—!
His spear wrapped in yellow flames rushed toward me.
I rolled my body. Then quickly grabbed the sword I had dropped. My agility stat was higher.
Clang!
I blocked it with the flat of my sword and held firm. The flames touching my face were hot.
“…Ugh.”
I narrowed my brow. At this rate, it would be either burning in fire or all the oxygen being consumed. My chances of winning were gradually decreasing.
I opened my mouth while enduring the murky air.
“If you win like this, what’s left?”
“There’s an answer to that question. Victory remains, obviously.”
Myeong Geon-woo grinned, baring his teeth.
“I’ve never lost even once. That’s what brought me the position of first place and gifted me dozens of contracts.”
“…Ha.”
Childish bravado. I was born hating this kind of thing.
A young heart that had never been broken… never been trampled by the world.
‘What do you mean don’t worry. My stomach is churning like this.’
Clang!
Myeong Geon-woo’s spear twisted. The bright yellow flames were burning even stronger.
The arena that had collapsed here and there from the earlier battle with Baek Na-jin. Because of that, movement was severely restricted too.
“Right… So you want to try.”
There was nowhere to retreat.
From now on, only a battle of firepower remained—fire clashing against fire.
“Divine Spirit.”
| Yes! I am ready! |
“…I’m counting on you.”
Clang—!
I put strength into the arm holding the Spirit General Sword. Myeong Geon-woo’s spear was momentarily pushed back.
‘Sorry, but I have no intention of losing.’
I seized that opening and swung my sword once.
“Fire Ring.”
Bright red flames drew a circle around me.
“Fire Virtue Flame, Blaze.”
Whoooooosh—!
The firepower of the flames blazed even stronger. The orange light soon began turning yellow.
“…Never lost before, you say. That’s only natural.”
“…?”
“Every Hunter has never experienced defeat. Because losing in a dungeon means death.”
| Hahaha! |
Hearty laughter rang through my head. It felt like all the heat in my body was rushing to my fingertips and toes.
“Consecutive victories, first place, dozens of contracts—none of that means anything inside a dungeon. No matter how strong you are, one day you’ll suddenly die.”
“….”
“Dungeons are variables in themselves.”
From the Life Dungeon, to the Orc’s poison, to the Boss Monster that had entered Nam Jae-yoon’s body….
Before all those variables, achievements from reality become meaningless.
“Things in this world… don’t flow the way you want them to.”
Whoosh!
Before I knew it, flames had wrapped around me.
“Fire Virtue Flame.”
It was a deep blue flame that would never be extinguished.
“Annihilation.”
I spoke a single word. An explosive sound burst from the blue flames.
Kwaaaaang—!
That explosion struck down Myeong Geon-woo who had been flying toward me with his spear.
At the same time, a blue Fire Ring shot toward him. It struck him squarely in the chest.
Kwang!
Unable to overcome the flames, he collapsed against the wall on the opposite side of the arena.
“Cough, hack…!”
I walked slowly toward him.
The yellow flames around Myeong Geon-woo were gradually dying down. But as if struggling desperately, he gripped his spear straight.
Myeong Geon-woo threw his weapon at me once more.
Swoosh—
I slightly twisted my head to dodge it.
“Huff, gasp… Bull… shit…”
My breath was hot. I too found the heat I was feeling overwhelming.
Crackle, crackle.
But the blue flames still blazed strongly.
Fire Virtue True Lord’s firepower had finally overcome Myeong Geon-woo’s flames.
I looked down at Myeong Geon-woo who had collapsed. The burns he’d suffered seemed severe as he couldn’t steady himself.
“What do you, cough, what do you gain from winning? In the end, you need the honor of having stepped on the Academy too—!”
“I don’t need it.”
Crack.
My sword wreathed in blue flames struck the ground.
[※ Warning! Insufficient mana.]
A warning sound rang out. Strength was draining from my entire body. I could feel mana leaking out.
It was natural since I had used skills in succession.
‘What am I… what am I doing going this far.’
Painful memories surfaced. The sun was beginning to set.
Ah… right.
I am…
‘…I wanted to prove something.’
That I didn’t need to attend a school like this.
That with the same abilities, facing off in battle, I would never be pushed back…
“…Grandfather.”
That I stand here proudly.
That’s what I wanted to prove.
“See, I told you that you didn’t need to go to school…”
For some reason, I felt incredibly relieved. It was an emotion I hadn’t felt in a very long time.
* * *
[…The winner is…]
The announcer’s microphone cut off with a snap.
A silence incomparable to the previous two matches descended upon the arena.
However, only the press section was in an uproar.
“Hurry up and take pictures! Investigate as soon as you get any information!”
“W-well, I already looked into it, but I can’t find any details.”
“It seems like Eden is blocking it…”
“Damn it. Then at least take pictures of that before the fire goes out!”
The blue flames were gradually dying down. As reporters, they couldn’t miss this kind of story.
Photos filled with blue flames that were hard to believe came from a human, and the academy’s top student collapsed in front of them.
Skyrocketing view counts were a sure thing.
“I never thought I’d live to see something like this.”
“But what was Heo Gil thinking when he approved this?”
“How would I know? Does it matter?”
Click, click.
The reporters were all taking pictures of the scene without exception. The impact that articles with these photos attached would bring…
‘It’ll be tremendous. Of course it will.’
The Academy proudly reigns at the pinnacle of Hunter education.
The students ranked 3rd to 1st there were nothing short of the essence of Academy education. Elite talents who would lead the Hunter world in the future.
They were viewed differently from other minor Hunters who jumped straight into dungeons after awakening.
‘But with this happening, things are going to get noisy for a while.’
That mysterious Hunter standing blankly in the middle doesn’t seem to realize it, but…
‘This is a much bigger incident.’
“Whoa!”
“Ah! What’s this!”
“What’s happening all of a sudden?!”
‘…?’
The reporter who had been nodding turned his gaze.
It was the sound coming from other reporters who had been writing articles with their cameras and laptops.
He immediately had to put a question mark on his face.
“Ah. Wait a moment.”
Cameras were floating in the air, wrapped in solid wooden branches.
“Gasp…”
“…Oh my.”
“It’s Choi Yu-kyung.”
“Hey, hey, back off. Do you want to die?”
The press section was closest to the arena’s entrance. Choi Yu-kyung appeared crossing through that press section.
She smiled brightly as she caught the reporters’ cameras with her World Tree.
“Reporters, may I pass through for a moment?”
Flutter.
And behind Choi Yu-kyung, Hong I-jo walked over. The Red Wings were clearly visible.
The reporters had no choice but to step back with tears in their eyes.
‘Do they know each other?’
‘Don’t tell me, a recruitment offer already…?’
‘Red Dog first, or Eden first…’
‘One scoop after another.’
Even so, there were several pairs of eyes scrutinizing the two closely. Choi Yu-kyung ignored those gazes and headed toward the arena.
Just then, Eun Hae-dam was coming out.
“Over here.”
Choi Yu-kyung raised her hand to greet Eun Hae-dam.
“…”
Hair singed by fire, face covered in ash. Still those black eyes.
However, she caught sight of an expression that looked strangely relieved. Choi Yu-kyung patted Eun Hae-dam’s shoulder.
“…Good work.”
Now she had realized it for certain. She could understand without needing to hear it.
What feelings he carried as he stepped into the arena, and with what will he ignited his fire.
‘You’re overcoming it.’
Gradually, one by one.
You’re stepping over the past while wielding your sword.
* * *
The touch on my shoulder was gentle. I felt silent trust.
| Are you alright? |
‘Please stay with me for a moment. I might collapse.’
Despite learning the Mana Manipulation Technique from Lee Cheong-ryu, I had lost Power Control at the end. It was because my emotions had gotten ahead of me.
If I dismissed Fire Virtue True Lord’s summoning now, I might collapse right there.
‘Before that…’
I left Yu-kyung behind and approached Hong I-jo. I could feel the reporters’ gazes following me.
“Hong I-jo.”
The man with Red Wings and scars carved on his face stared at me quietly.
I had something to say to him.
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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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