Soon, the Section Chief of the Second Division, Ahn Sahng-Min, answered the call.
"I'd like you to find something out for me, please."
Baek Yun-Ho wanted to find out what Hunter Sung Jin-Woo was doing on the night this anonymous hunter fought the beast.
– "Yes, sir. I'll find out."
With a short but simple answer, the call ended.
Section Chief Ahn was a talented employee. If Baek Yun-Ho waited for a little while, then that man would find what he needed through any means necessary. However, the result arrived sooner than he expected.
'Already?'
Baek Yun-Ho quickly picked up the ringing phone.
– "Sir, we fortunately still had some information on hand, so we were able to find what you wanted pretty quickly."
"Oh, really?"
Baek Yun-Ho smiled brightly.
Now that he thought about it, there once was a time when the entirety of the Second Division was focused on gathering intel on Hunter Sung Jin-Woo after Chief Ahn ordered them. Thanks to that, he didn't have to wait for long.
– "Yes, sir. On that day, Sung Jin-Woo Hunter-nim was…. Ah, looks like it was during that time. Sir, do you still remember the dual dungeon incident from a few months ago?"
"Yes, I remember."
– "Sung Jin-Woo Hunter-nim was the sole survivor of that dual dungeon incident, actually. If I remember correctly, he was unconscious throughout the duration of his stay in the hospital."
"Oh…. Is that so."
Baek Yun-Ho formed a disappointed expression.
An unconscious man wouldn't be able to fight anything, after all.
'Increasing your Stat values…. There's no way such a thing is even possible.'
It all really was an unfunny waste of time in the end. He was getting somewhat tired now. He decided that he'd go home a bit early today and sleep, but then….
– "Uh? Wait a minute, sir. Yes, he was indeed in a comatose state, but…."
From the phone's speaker, Ahn Sahng-Min's mystified voice came out.
– "Looks like he not only woke up on that day but also went for a walk and returned pretty late, sir."
As soon as he heard that, Baek Yun-Ho quickly fixed his previously-slouched sitting posture.
'He woke up on that day?'
– "Ah, actually, sir. He woke up on the previous day."
Ahn Sahng-Min amended his answer almost right away. But, Baek Yun-Ho thought that the time difference of one day wasn't important here. No, the truly important bit was the fact that the possibility of Hunter Sung Jin-Woo being the hunter who fought the monster during the dungeon break had not dissipated at all.
"….I see. That should be enough. Thank you for your help."
Baek Yun-Ho ended the call there, and after finding the folder containing a certain file on his computer, he opened it. It was the report compiled on Sung Jin-Woo by the Second Division.
Click, click…
.
Baek Yun-Ho paid greater attention to Jin-Woo's recent activities as he browsed through the information. He hadn't displayed anything particularly interesting before that incident. He lived a typical life of rank E Hunter – got injured often, didn't make a lot of money, etc.
However….
'After the dual dungeon incident….'
Baek Yun-Ho was present that day as well.
The Association urgently sought after the aid of the nearest large Guild, which was the White Tiger, and Baek Yun-Ho gladly led the elite assault team and went over there.
That's when he saw the sight of an unconscious young man being taken to the hospital in an ambulance.
'Well, I didn't know that was Seong Jin-Woo back then….'
Just what went down inside that dungeon?
In any case, Sung Jin-Woo had changed completely from that point onwards.
He used to quietly help out with the work of Association until then; but, not only he chose to join up with a freelancer raid team, he even cleared several rank C and rank -B and few rank- A Gates in the span of a few weeks and he was inactive in the middle. And sometimes he even cleared several rank C single day, as well.
Without a doubt, something in him changed inside that dual dungeon.
'This is definitely not your typical Re-Awakening.'
Section Chief Ahn theorised that Yujin Construction was testing out Hunter Sung Jin-Woo's powers after he went through the Re-Awakening process, but….
'No, it's not.'
But, that wouldn't be able to explain the continued and rather speedy increase in that man's powers even though his Re-Awakening process should have ended by now.
So, what if….
'... .What if there is a Hunter who can continuously grow stronger?'
Not only that, his rate of growth was so fast that, within a span of a few months, his powers rose up from the rank E all the way up to rank SSS?
"…"
Baek Yun-Ho inadvertently let a gasp escape from his mouth.
It was a goosebumps-inducing idea, indeed. Of course, there was no evidence that the anonymous hunter who fought the huge gorilla in a very bloody battle and Hunter Sung Jin-Woo were the same person.
However, if Hunter Sung Jin-Woo could increase his strength exactly like how he was thinking then just imagining how much further he could grow made Baek Yun-Ho dizzy.
And at the same time….
'I was being foolish.'
He finally understood why Hunter Sung Jin-Woo was so disinterested in signing up with a Guild.
'Thinking about it from his perspective….'
If he was given an ability where he could theoretically grow stronger infinitely, would he want to enter someone else's Guild?
Baek Yun-Ho shook his head.
'Nope, I'd rather make a Guild of my own.'
Who cared about the number one or two Guilds in the country? After all, his own would soon become the best, anyway.
'This…. Both Choi Jong-In and I have been wasting time chasing after a pipe dream, huh.'
Thinking about Chairman Choi who should be sweating profusely right about now while trying to woo Hunter Sung Jin-Woo, a wry chuckle automatically broke out of his mouth.
However….
'If my theory is correct, then this matter isn't something to laugh about.'
In the not too distant future, that man would surely become an existence that would get to control the community of Hunters in South Korea. No, Hunters of the entire world might focus all their attention on him, at this rate.
He needed to completely rethink the plan regarding Hunter Sung Jin-Woo now.
But before all that…
'I need to meet him face to face and confirm it first.'
Baek Yun-Ho nodded his head. No matter how hard he thought about it, meeting Hunter Sung Jin-Woo was the number one priority.
Unfortunately….
'….How am I supposed to ask him for a meeting??'
Baek Yun-Ho held his head tightly.
"…"
When he realised that he just made his mind up to meet with a man who didn't even reply once to the countless requests for a sit-down until now, his head already began throbbing from a migraine.
***
"Holy cow! Unni, those reporters are still outside the house even though they know they can't get in, they are still trying to click photos! With those super zoom cameras"
Jin-Ah spoke while looking out of the window.
It was already late in the evening. Reporters who hadn't given up yet were still gathered around in front of the Sung Bungalow, at the entrance like a storm cloud.
"Look!! Up there!"
After discovering the silhouette of a person by the window, they hurriedly operated their cameras, thinking that it was Esdeath.
Click, click, click!!
Seeing all those camera flashes suddenly exploding from here and there, Jin-Ah jumped up in fright and quickly shuttered the curtains. She turned around and sighed softly like a timid little animal.
"Whew…."
Having returned from the date, Esdeath was thinking of taking a bit of a well-deserved rest as she already had a lot of fun in the morning, but he was carrying a rather stiff expression at the moment.
"Should I go downstairs and freeze some of them?"
It was fine for those folks to disrupt her rest. However, she was more worried about them disrupting her lovely sister's studies. Jin-Ah was a high school senior, about to take the most important test of her life.
Wasn't this the time when some overly-sensitive kids would throw a tantrum just because of the faint footsteps outside their doors disrupting their studies?
'Well, Jin-Ah isn't the type to raise a fuss over stuff like this, but….'
But, still – could she even be able to concentrate with all these distracting noises coming from the outside?
Just as Esdeath was getting prepared to step forward….
"Nonono, don't do it."
….Jin-Ah quickly waved her hands about.
"Unni and Oppa, you're both already being slagged off on the internet, you know? So, can you imagine what they'll say if you freeze some of them?"
"I don't see when it became my problem?"
"Since when did I start caring a rat's ass about these clueless, basement-dwelling keyboard warriors, their sputtering nonsense, and the pungent stench of mediocrity they exude from their dark, dank lairs? It's a real achievement, you know, to be an expert in the fine art of being an internet troll while sponging off mommy's Wi-Fi. Truly, it's a testament to the limitless potential of underachievement."
As Esdeath uttered those words, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of exhaustion wash over her. Her usual icy demeanor had temporarily thawed, replaced by a facade of a high school girl intoxicated by the throes of young love. It was an act she had decided to put on for Jin, all in the name of understanding his preferences tasts in women.
The idea had come from a book she had stumbled upon, one that delved into the intricate nuances of seduction and attraction. According to its pages, some men had a penchant for younger women, and Esdeath was nothing if not determined to explore every facet of Jin's desires.
So, she had taken to behaving in ways she had never imagined herself doing before. She played the part of a girl infatuated, her gestures and expressions mimicking those of a high school sweetheart on a date. Her laughter was more girlish, her smiles more innocent, and her gaze more adoring. It was an elaborate performance, one she was willing to endure if it meant getting closer to Jin.
All of this, of course, was for him. Her desire to understand him, to know his tastes in women, had driven her to these lengths. But there was an aspect of it that she cherished far more than mere curiosity. It was the moments when she allowed herself to slip into the role of a nurturing, maternal figure. These moments were not an act; they were genuine, and she reveled in them.
Esdeath relished the times when she could play the role of a caring "mommy" to Jin. There was an innate satisfaction in caring for him, in showering him with affection and pampering him like a cherished child. It brought a warmth to her heart that was foreign and thrilling of a Taboo and she realized even she very much love that taboo feeling.
And then, there were those moments that she couldn't help but blush, moments when Jin would emerge from his room, donned in a fancy suit that accentuated his natural charm. In those instances, he embodied the very image of the man who had been the subject of her most intimate fantasies. She couldn't help but feel a rush of desire, her cheeks flushing with longing as she admired him from head to toe.
These moments were like sparks in the darkness, igniting a fire within her that she had never known. Esdeath's pursuit of Jin's desires was not just an act; it was an exploration of her own newfound emotions. As she continued to play her roles, and she planned to play many more, Like a nutty daughter or a discipline teacher or a very poor girl in need.
She couldn't help but wonder where this journey would lead them, and what secrets lay hidden in the depths of their desires.
While Esdeath was lost in her own degenerate fantasies.
Jin tilted her head this way and that, Jin-Ah accessed one of the news articles online with her phone and pushed it forward. Seeing something of their then his face or dick was showed on her face she instantly snap out her thoughts and took it from her.
"..."
On the screen, she could see the photo of herself and Jin standing in front of the Association's entrance, Jin relaxedly answering his phone while being surrounded by a sea of reporters while holding her hand.
Maybe because a Jin and her was in the shot while holding hands, she thought it looked amazing it came out looking pretty good, so she was happy about that. However, when she took a look a bit lower down….
'Look at their attitudes.'
'They already doesn't care about the reporters.'
'Aren't they way too cool for themselves.'
'Isn't she is a hotty how come her power is cold'
Countless comments with similar nature were posted below the article, and the highest upvoted comment was "Yo, Mama, guess what? I've hit S-rank!"'
And second highest was…
"Hey Mom, I've made it to S-rank, girl power!"
Because the photo and both comments went so well along with each other, Esdeath ended up breaking out in a grin.
Jin-Ah in turn became flabbergasted from her reaction as she thought her phone will become ice cube after reading it.
"How can you smile from that?!"
"But, it's pretty funny."
"…."
When Esdeath showed her the top upvoted comment, Jin-Ah too nearly broke out in laughter, but somehow managed to suppress it. And, perhaps as a rebound….
"No, wait a minute! That's not important, is it?!"
With a slightly flushed face, Jin-Ah raised her voice.
"Why are you both holding hands and when you are perfectly smiling like a professional model how come you let him answer the phone there?? I mean, there were so many reporters present, you know! Thanks to him, everyone now knows my name!"
Esdeath replied confidently as if she couldn't be fazed by anything which was true.
"Do we really need to observe reporters and their moods when answering our cute little sister's call? What if your we're in danger do you really think we care about publicity more then about you or mom?"
"Euk!!"
Jin-Ah became speechless. No matter how hard she thought about it, Esdeath wasn't wrong, so she couldn't readily come up with a suitable rebuttal.
'….I simply can't win against her in an argument. And it's always happend like this'
Esdeath handed the phone back to her.
"Here."
Jin-Ah took the phone back with a slightly testy face, and opened her mouth.
"In any case, I'll be fine, so neither oppa nor Unni, mind the reporters, okay?"
"Okay. Got it."
Esdeath nodded his head.
If the current situation persisted, then she might have done something, but then again, the Association did call her earlier to say that these reporters should all receive orders to stay far away from them in a day or two.
'Well, who cares after all things come to push I can always freeze them.'
And there was also Jin-Ah not wanting to inflate the situation any further, too.
"By the way, just what on earth happened here?"
Jin-Ah looked at her Unni with a pair of mystified eyes.
"My own oppa and Unni became the S-rank Hunters, and reporters are camping outside our house, too…."
Some said that it'd be difficult to run into a rank S Hunter even once in your entire life, yet there was two in her house and one was standing right in front of her. Not only that, she was her sister in law and one was her brother, no less.
Pretty much anyone would react the same way if they were in her shoes. Jin-Ah sounded as if she couldn't quite believe it.
Too bad, she had no choice but to adjust to the new reality sooner rather than later.
'Just like how I had to.'
Esdeath sported a subtle, self-assured smirk. After all, her world had undergone a profound transformation, both in the literal and figurative sense. Even her lifestyle and manner of speaking had evolved, to say the least.
And, in order to soothe her sister and her still-stunned heart, she lightly pinched Jin-Ah's cheeks. Of course, she reacted in the same manner as in the past by kicking her, but….
"Ouch!!"
She instead grabbed her foot and jumped up and down in pain.
"Heeiing~."
Jin-Ah glared at her from the corners of her eyes as if this was just too much, while Esdeath could only shrug her shoulders after all she saw the kick coming before mussels in her foot even twitched.
It seemed that she'd need quite a lot of time to get used to the fact that now she was living with Two S-ranks her Oppa and Unni was now the rank S Awakeneds.
"Unni, I guess you'll become a lot busier now, right?"
Jin-Ah cautiously asked him.
""Indeed, in a sense, but for my cutie pie, Jin and I are more than willing to give her all the time she desires."
Esdeath replied with a mischievous smile while still treating her like a child.
There were lots of things Jin had to do, and plenty of work to get through, too – but for now, clearing the quest took priority. He even resorted to wasting three days here and getting the orc shadows for the sole purpose of conquering the quest faster, after all.
"Anyway, where's Mom?" Esdeath inquired, her keen senses failing to detect mother's presence within the house.
"Mmm, Mom went out to catch up with her friends. It's been a while since she last saw them," Jin-ha replied nonchalantly, her attention absorbed by her smartphone as she scrolled through its contents.
"In that case, it'd get harder to see you, right?"
Hearing that both might get a lot busier in the future, Jin-Ah formed a slightly rueful expression. Indeed, being alone would be a lonesome task.
Without saying anything, Esdeath placed her hand on Jin-Ah's head.
The room was bathed in a soft, ambient light, and a sense of tranquility hung in the air as Esdeath and Jin-ha occupied themselves with their respective activities. Esdeath, her azure eyes sharp and vigilant, felt the subtle shift in the fabric of space. It was a distortion, a ripple that went unnoticed by most but was a telltale sign for someone with her heightened senses who could freeze space and time.
In an instant, her eyes widened with a flash of alarm. With a swiftness that defied the laws of physics, she reacted. Her hand shot out and grabbed Jin-ha, pulling her behind her with a protective instinct that had become second nature. The air around her seemed to crackle with energy as a long blade, forged from pure ice, materialized in her grasp.
With a single fluid motion, Esdeath swung the frigid blade at the source of the disturbance. It cleaved through the air with a deadly precision, aimed at the intruder who had dared to disrupt their peace.