197 - Killing A High Rank Boss
{Images of Boss will be in the comment section.}
With just a simple nod, Guardian unleashed a torrent of power, directing his index finger toward the gate. In an instant, a massive, red-hot plasma beam erupted, disintegrating everything in its path. Corpses turned to vapor, sand solidified into glass for a hundred meters around, and the gate itself exploded upon contact, as if it were made of gunpowder. Even the surrounding walls succumbed to the onslaught, crumbling under the force of the attack.
After witnessing the destruction, Jin turned to the Guardian and spoke."
"You know, a gentle nudge would have done the trick, but I suppose a bit of grandeur never hurt anyone. Sometimes you just need to let off some steam, right?" Jin said after seeing the guy was pretty happy with his performance.
Of course, Jin's approach is not unfeasible.
But it's an arduous undertaking.
And there's still the rain of arrows.
If it were ordinary class users instead, it would have resulted in heavy casualties.
This was a very Jin way of doing this.
Only the Shadow Warriors, with their super high physique, can brave the rain of arrows and attack the gate.
Behind the gate, there is a group of Lionman Warriors who have been ready for a long time.
The Shadow Warriors rushed into the castle like wolves.
The Shadow Mages also launched their attack.
The Lionman Warriors collapsed to the ground amidst screams.
Jin raised his palm.
Boom!
Following an explosion, the Lionman Warriors were wiped out.
Subsequently, the Shadow Warriors rushed up the outwall and attacked the Lionman Archers.
In front of the Shadow Warriors, the super enhanced elite monsters stood no chance.
In particular, after the Shadow Mages also ran up the outwall, it became totally a one-sided massacre.
When Jin stepped into the castle, all the Lionman Warriors and Lionman Archers were already eliminated.
The Shadow army quickly advanced along the castle's main path.
6 hours have passed since Jin entered the dungeon.
In the centre of the castle, a huge Lionman is sitting on a throne.
He wears a crown on the head and exudes a powerful aura, an invisible kingly air around him looking like an invincible king.
Even when he saw the large shadow army, he remained completely unconcerned.
When he looked at him, Jin could only feel a suffocating pressure wash over him.
"So the statue found in that room wasn't that true at least not fully after how this huge monster resembles any of five known statues?"
"Anyway, it's quite formidable with its controlled army of Lionmen. It could be a valuable addition to my forces, much like Tusk and his High Orcs. This boss is truly unlike any I've encountered in normal dungeons before."
The moment Jin laid eyes on the huge boss and felt air around it, a gleam sparked in his eyes, recognizing the potential it and its army held as a perfect complement to his own forces.
Although he feels this boss was right, he still has to fight.
With a wave of Jin's hand, the Shadow Warriors charged forward.
At the same time, the info followed suit.
[Lionman Tyrant (City rank boss)]
[Skills: Hellscream, Summon Axes, Lions Heart, Furious Leap, Royal Decree, Windstorm]
Although he had expected as much, he couldn't help but feel apprehensive when we saw so many skills.
Compared to the most shadow Warriors, the strength attribute must be much higher, which stands for very high attack power. Same with skills as only few in my army have these many skills.
The agility attribute is quite good. The mana attribute, however, is on the low side. But since he isn't a Mage-type monster, it's quite normal.
The defence attribute is also pretty good, which puts him on par with the most biffy shadow Warriors.
In addition, as a boss monster, his health is much higher than what the physique attribute would indicate.
This has also been the case for the bosses Jin has encountered so far.
It won't be easy to kill this boss mist hunters.
Nevertheless, Jin has to kill him as fast as possible.
"Sorry, but I'm in a hurry!"
When the Shadow Warriors reached his side, the Tyrant finally reacted.
He suddenly stood up and stomped down with its big foot.
Along with a loud bang, cracks appeared on the floor, and two shadow infantry soldiers were flattened below his feet and several nearby shadows were flung away.
The high points of strength manifested its effect, dealing the shadows damage of varying degrees.
The Tyrant is at least 15 meters tall. In front of him, the Shadow Warriors look like inconspicuous black dots.
The Shadow Warriors rushed over, leaped into the air, and jumped onto the Tyrant.
They grasped the Tyrant's fur with one hand and hacked with the large blades in the other hand.
The Shadow Mages cast their skills, and colorful skill lights fell on the Tyrant.
Magic skills exploded on the Tyrant.
Violent explosions arose.
Bolts of lightning fell one after another.
Ice extended.
Tornadoes hacked like blades.
The Tyrant bellowed again and again.
A huge axe appeared in his hand.
The axe swept horizontally, cutting through dozens of Shadow Warriors.
Buildings collapsed one after another.
"Nice,the Summon Axes skill!"
Jin watched the Tyrant attentively, wondering how other parties would deal with him. He's really strong.
Faced against the Tyrant, Knights should only be able to withstand a couple of strikes.
Light surged on Jin's palm.
Following a flash of red light, a pattern formed from red chains appeared on the Tyrant's head, and his speed dropped immediately.
The 50% decrease in speed made the Tyrant's movements slower.
The pressure on the Shadow Warriors decreased at once.
Feeling the changes in his body, the Tyrant suddenly raised his head and let out a roar.
Skill: Hellscream!
The roar turned into a shock wave that spread in all directions.
A large tract of buildings collapsed amidst the roar.
Jin has also been impacted.
The Shield Armor blocks out tens of thousands of damage.
Shadow Warriors were flung away by the roar, including the several Shadow Warriors that were on the Tyrant.
At this moment, the Tyrant suddenly leaped up high and lunged toward Jin.
Skill: Furious Leap!
Jin's complexion changed slightly when he saw this.
If he is hit, he won't die nor will he be injured.
All the damage will be transferred to the Shadow Warriors and Shadow Mages.
They will likely receive significant damage.
The Shadow Mages moved quickly and pushed Jin several tens of meters away.
The Tyrant landed on the ground with a loud blast, creating a huge pit, flinging all who were around him away while crushing others.
Even the Shadow Mages took damage, but the damage wasn't too severe as they were back in the form within seconds.
Although their physique is not as high as that of the normal Shadow Warriors, it is still at a high point with their ranks. They won't lose all their HP in an instant.
After he dodged this strike, Jin's palm ignited with fire.
A spark fell on the Tyrant's head.
[Blaze]
The Tyrant immediately let out shocking cries.
The entire castle shook along with the screams.
Even a high class boss can't endure this attack that directly burns from inside.
Jin took the opportunity to retreat again, further opening the distance between himself and the Tyrant.
The Shadow Warriors turned back and entangled with the Tyrant again.
If it were not for his skills, a few Shadow Warriors, combined with Slowing Curse, would be enough to whittle away at the Tyrant's health.
However, the other party's skills are really strong.
The skills he just displayed in particular have a knockback effect, putting the Shadow Warriors and Shadow Mages in a tough spot.
Jin had the Shadow Mages disperse and attack the Tyrant from different directions. While he also allowed some other Long Range Troops like Ice Eleves, Allia menet everyone in the long range army besides Mine took part in the battle now.
No matter what skills the Tyrant uses, he won't be able to completely break away from the attacks of the Long Range Battalion.
The Tyrant wielded the huge axe, either slashing down or sweeping horizontally.
Due to the influence of Slowing Curse, the speed of the Tyrant has more than halved, greatly reducing the threat he poses to the Shadow Warriors.
The skills and weapons of the Long Range Battalion fell on the Tyrant one after another like a barrage.
The Tyrant seems to have sensed that his situation is anything but encouraging.
With a bellow, he swung his axe and spun sharply.
A strong wind rose abruptly, and the Shadow Warriors were flung away once again.
"How troublesome. All his skills come with a knockback effect."
Jin was a bit out of sorts.
But then again, if it were really easy to kill him, the Tyrant wouldn't be worth being called a high rank boss and unique existence.
Regardless of how other parties go about it, Jin's gameplay is to sweep everything in his way.
There isn't much ingenuity to this approach.
After they were flung away, the Shadow Warriors didn't attack right away.
After all, the Tyrant's skill isn't over yet.
A number of tornadoes appeared around the Tyrant. The tornadoes roared and destroyed the surrounding buildings.
The tornadoes have effectively become the Tyrant's shield, blocking the magic skills raining down on him.
As the Tyrant continued to spin, the tornadoes grew and became more menacing.
Boom!
The tornadoes swept outward in an instant.
Wherever they passed, the earth seemed to have been plowed, the buildings completely destroyed.
Several Shadow Warriors, unable to dodge, were hit by the tornadoes.
Their bodies were torn, as if they would collapse at any moment.
Inner Fire pulsated in the tornadoes.
Jin felt that the Shadows were severely injured but with his huge supply of mana their bodies returned to their previous froms as if nothing happened.
The Tyrant's skill is unexpectedly this strong, to the point that even the Shadow Warriors and Shadow Beasts were severely injured.
At this time, Jin thought of the Jeju Island Raid.
'If the enemy was so much interested in the cyclone he would give it a taste of his own medicine and it would be a hot one.
Jin's palm was ablaze with flames all along he mutter a single word [Flame Tornado]
launching a fairy cyclone at the Tyrant.
The Tyrant didn't seem to feel it for the first few seconds.
But when the temperature rose suspensely, and the fact that he was in centre of this burning hot cyclone the damage accumulated earlier erupted.
Shocking screams echoed throughout the entire dungeon.
The Shadow Infantry rushed back like indestructible cockroaches without any care about the fire damage they were receiving as they moment they received the damage they recovered Jin's army truly like indestructible cockroaches.
Some jumped onto the Tyrant's shoulders, others jumped onto his head, and yet others jumped onto his chest.
Large blades fell frenziedly.
The magic spells of the Skeletal Mages flooded in.
"Use your skill!"
Following Jin's command, the large swords of the Shadow Warriors burst out with red light.
Skill: Berserk Strike!
This blow is very heavy.
At the places where the blades fell, the Tyrant's blood splattered which evaporated with flames , and his flesh became mangled and cooked.
The screams tapered off.
The fire damage accumulated on Tyrant's body over and over again.
The magic attacks of the long range battalion also became increasingly more intense.
The Tyrant tried to fight back, but the effect was minimal.
He unleashed his skills again.
Thanks to the previous experience, Jin already knows how to evade them. He didn't give the opponent any chances.
After 5 minutes of more futile struggle, the Tyrant finally collapsed in his castle.
[Killed Lionman Tyrant, EXP +2,000,00]
[Obtained gold rank weapon: Tyrant's Battleaxe]
[Obtained gold rank weapon: Tyrant's Dagger]
[Obtained gold rank weapon: Tyrant's Stave]
[Obtained Tyrant's Heart]
[Tyrant's Battleaxe: gold rank weapon, strength +50, increases the power of axe-type skills by 25%, usable above level 70]
[Tyrant's Dagger: gold rank weapon, agility +50, increases the power of Assassin-type skills by 25%, usable after level 70]
[Tyrant's Stave: gold rank weapon, Mana +500, increases the power of Mage-type skills by 25%, usable after level 70]
[Tyrant Heart: a special item essential for forging the Tyrant's Ring]
_________
There wasn't any deeper meaning behind his actions. Goto Ryuji came to South Korea to personally confirm the capabilities of the top Korean Hunters with his own eyes. And now, he had developed a bit of curiosity after discovering someone a bit unique out of the lot. That was all.
'I'll soon find out whether she's really a Mage or not.'
Goto Ryuji refused to accept that the woman standing right in front of his eyes wasn't a melee-type Hunter.
He needed more 'data'. In order to eliminate any and all forms of unexpected variations, he simply had to acquire more data on Esdeath.
'Well, half of it is for fun, though….'
Goto Ryuji smirked to himself.
The interpreter heard what the Japanese Hunter had to say, jumped up in surprise, before hurriedly asking a question.
"M-mister Goto, are you sure about this?"
"Please translate what I said to miss verbatim."
"B-but, even then…."
"Will there be a problem?"
Goto Ryuji asked back in a teasing tone. His voice seemed to ask why shouldn't he participate in the proceedings, when the Korean Hunters were already doing some 'light exercises'?
The interpreter continued to sweat buckets, before giving up in the end and replied to him.
"I… I understand."
He turned his head and met Jin-Woo's questioning gaze. The interpreter hesitated before opening his mouth.
"Mister Goto is asking… If you don't mind 'training' with him….."
There was no need for an extra explanation on what that training was supposed to be.
Esdeath's gaze shifted over to Goto Ryuji. The Japanese man was waiting for an answer with an unreadable smile on his face.
Judging from the undisguised stare from earlier on, it was more than likely that Goto Ryuji's interest was on Esdeath power.
Even then, she didn't feel displeased by the Japanese Hunter's abrupt suggestion. No, rather than that, she was genuinely intrigued by the prospect of the fight itself.
Since arriving in this world, her sparring partner had always been Jin, the love of her life. Yet, after over a week without proper stretching, a desire stirred within her to test her skills against a fresh opponent, particularly Japan's foremost Hunter, Goto Ryuji. This curiosity wasn't unique to Goto Ryuji; she too yearned to assess her growth and confront a novel challenge head-on.
Despite initially seeming weak, she had learned from her extensive study of hunters that strength was merely one component of the equation; a hunter's skills were equally vital in combat, akin to the significance of Teigus in her home world.
'…..Mm?'
Goto Ryuji stopped smiling as a thin frown formed on his forehead.
'She's smiling?'
He expected Esdeath to become flustered and then eventually try to back out, but then, the Korean Hunter simply displayed a certain relaxed vibe, instead.
Was there something she felt confident of? Or, was she smiling wryly after finding the current situation troublesome to handle?
The answer was revealed soon enough. Esdeath told something to the interpreter, and the latter jumped up pretty high in shock right away.
Next up, the interpreter looked as if he was doing his best to dissuade the youth, while Esdeath was all smiles as she tried to calm the former, instead. Since they were talking in Korean, Goto Ryuji couldn't understand a word being spoken and as a result, a frown grew progressively deeper on his face.
'What are they even talking about…?'
It should've only been either 'yes' or 'no'.
Why was the interpreter sweating buckets like that over a question with only two exceedingly simple available answers?
Just as Goto Ryuji's patience was about to run out, the interpreter spoke up while continuously sneaking glances at Esdeath.
"Uhm, excuse me, Mister Goto…."
If only there were no eyes watching right now, Goto Ryuji would've shouted at the man to stop wasting time and hurry up with it. Forcibly maintaining his smile meant that Goto Ryuji's brows were quivering greatly, as he waited for the interpreter's next words.
"Madam Esdeath Hunter-nim agreed to your proposal. However…."
"However?"
"She siad she has a condition."
'A condition?'
Not only had the opponent failed to lower his tail and cower, but he also accepted the challenge straight away, and even put up an extra condition, as well. It was Goto Ryuji's turn to feel somewhat flustered now.
"And what is this condition?"
"Well, Madam Esdeath Hunter-nim said that….."
The interpreter took one last look at Esdeath, and the latter nodded his head.
"….She'll agree only on the condition that Mister Goto gives his all."
Goto Ryuji's stare immediately shifted to Esdeath.
'Is she being serious??'
Seeing the expression on Esdath's face, one could tell that he wasn't kidding around. Goto Ryuji tilted his head.
'Wait… Maybe she doesn't know who I am?'
But, that couldn't be. Even if she didn't know before, the interpreter should've provided an explanation just now. Even then, for him to not cower and back off – was this the case of arrogance or a mistaken belief in himself?
'….This might be fun.'
The smile was already wiped clean from Goto Ryuji's mug.
He was thinking of matching the opponent's pace and ending things after checking out Esdeath's skills, but now, his thoughts had changed. Thankfully, with a rank S Healer nearby, there shouldn't be any big 'accidents' either.
"Alright, I accept."
"Heok!"
The interpreter's face paled immediately.
Hunter Esdeath had just revealed the rank 'S', so she might not be able to contain her overflowing passion, but why was Mister Goto, who had experienced all sorts of trials and tribulations, behaving like this?
Unfortunately, the atmosphere had already gone past the point of no return.
"Who's that beautiful lady next to the Japanese Hunter?"
"Isn't she… Hunter Ice Empress?"
"What's this? Are they going to spar or something?"
Soon, the rank S Hunters and Association employees within the gymnasium all gathered around the one woman and a man glaring at each other. As everyone was immersed in the developing situation, half of them looked on with worry while the other half in anticipation, Cha Hae-In also stood next to the Hunters and looked on at the duo.
'Why does she share the same fragrance as Jin...?'
Esdeath's opponent was a man who managed to stand at the top of Japan, a country with over 20 rank S Hunters.
As for Esdeath herself, who had just come out as S rank hunter and only cleared a single dungeon so by the experience she should be
considered as a newbie who had been a rank S for only a few weeks now.
It'd be the right thing to stop Hunter Esdeath from continuing on any further.
From Cha Hae-In's perspective as someone affiliated with Sung Jin-Woo, and he was a benefactor who saved the lives of an entire team consisting of her Guild's elite men and women.
She wasn't some honour-less woman who'd do nothing and watch a friend of a benefactor get hurt from the sidelines.
However, she kept recalling the events of that day whenever she thought about dissuading him.
….The look she gave in cameras, how effortlessly she created a world ending phenomenon.
When he revealed himself recalling that powerful, easy going stare, she felt her chest palpitate, and unexplainable anticipation bubbled up in her heart. That was why she couldn't readily step forward, only to bite down on her lower lip in nervousness.
It was then.
"Are you feeling okay today with other Hunters around you?"
Before she had time to notice it, Baek Yun-Ho was already next to her to ask that question. They had gone on several raids together, so he knew very well of her strange physical condition.
"Well, it's not like I'll be able to continue blocking my nose in Jeju Island, so…"
Hearing her answer, Baek Yun-Ho nodded his head. It was her turn to ask next.
"You said before that you're an acquaintance with Hunter Sung Jin-Woo, yes?"
"Yes."
Cha Hae-In remembered that the White Tiger Guild also received Hunter Sung Jin-Woo's help in the past, just like her own Guild did.
"In that case, shouldn't you try to stop Miss Esdeath? After all she is related to him"
"I guess that's the normal way of thinking."
After all, the opponent today was none other than Goto Ryuji. Cha Hae-In tilted her head.
"If so, then why….?"
Baek Yun-Ho shifted his gaze and met her eyes before replying to her.
"It's the same reason as yours, Cha Hunter-nim."
Flinch.
Cha Hae-In felt as if her inner secrets had been exposed by Baek Yun-Ho just now. Her always-taciturn expression displayed just a hint of change.
"I don't….."
"Don't you feel this strange anticipation in the air?"
….She couldn't deny that.
Even now, her heart was racing with a singular thought of 'If it's Hunter Sung Jin-Woo, then he might….' filling up her head.
"It's the same story for me."
Baek Yun-Ho replied with a grin and looked back in Esdeath and Goto Ryuji's direction. His expression was filled with barely-checked anticipation.
Goto Ryuji raised his fist first.
The interpreter standing nearby hurriedly left their side. Two rank S Hunters were about to have a smackdown. Not only that, one of them happened to be referred to as Japan's best, as well. A normal person would die simply from being too close in this situation.
Making sure that the interpreter had run off to a safe-enough distance, Esdeath just stood there with a calm face.
Then…
Swish!
Without a moment's delay, Goto Ryuji's fist flew past where Esadeath's head had been a blink ago.
The Japanese man's eyes grew wide.
'I missed?'
The attack was meant to floor Esdeath in one go and help Goto recover his damaged pride, but now, it was all for nothing. Esdeath evaded the punch by tilting her head out of the way, and then, she easily created some distance between them.
Her reaction speed was surprisingly fast.
'And you still claim to be a Mage after that??'
What a bloody laughable notion that was.
Indeed, Goto Ryuji's eyes weren't mistaken. He didn't know the reason for the Korean Association hiding that Woman's true abilities, but without a doubt, Esdeath was a melee-type Hunter. Not only that, definitely an Assassin or a Warrior too. Her agile movements and her silent steps were all the proof needed.
'You may be able to fool others, but you can't hide the truth from me.'
The corner of Goto Ryuji's lips arched up.
'Allow me to peel off another layer of yours.'
….Right until everything you possess is brought up to the surface!
For the first time in a long, long while, Goto Ryuji was feeling genuinely pumped up.
After taking some distance away from the aggressive Japanese Hunter, Esdeath stood still with the same calm face as before.
Thump, thump, thump….
Indeed, the opponent's heart was beating faster. She could sense power on another level compared to other Hunters from Goto Ryuji.
However, the emotion filling up Esdeath's heart whenever Goto Ryuji's aura touched her skin was this strong sense of belief in himself.
'So, that guy is the best in Japan….'
Her strong confidence was clearly visible on her calm face as she didn't care about the fight. On the other hand, Goto Ryuji's expression was hardening.
'Is She's smirking at me?'
How dare she, in front of me??
Goto Ryuji spat out a heavy breath.
The scarcely-believable amount of magical energy he emitted began to heavily press down the surrounding air. Hunters watching on were jolted by a nasty surprise.
'Shouldn't we stop them before something happens here?'
'Goto Ryuji, maybe he's thinking of really going for it now?'
However, there was a thin smile on Esdeath's face. This was what she wanted, anyways.
Goto Ryuji saw that Esdeath showed no signs of cowering even after he had unleashed his fearsome level of magic power, and felt something welling up from deep within.
His eyes gleamed dangerously just then!
Even before other Hunters had the chance to step forward and stop this bout, Goto Ryuji pounced like an angry predator.
The distance closed up in an instant; Goto Ryuji reached out with his hand; Esdeath leaned back in the nick of time and evaded the attack.
'….!!'
Goto Ryuji's eyes trembled imperceptibly.
'She dodged that?!'
Was that also a coincidence, or….?
Even though many thoughts fleeted in and out of his head, he didn't stay in his hands and continued to rain down his attacks. Too bad, not one of them could connect to his target; Esdeath always managed to dodge by a hair's breadth or repelled the incoming hits away.
'How could this be…??'
Cold sweat drops formed on Goto Ryuji's forehead.
Goto Ryuji and his brilliantly flashy attacks, and Esdeath who managed to dodge everything by the smallest margins imaginable. Other Hunters watched the duo and expressed their genuine admiration.
"That's some fierce attacks, alright."
"Hard to follow those movements with my naked eyes."
"Look, even Hunter Esdeath is enduring pretty well, no?"
"Right, it's already pretty remarkable that she can evade the attacks from Japan's best to that extent."
Cha Hae-In shook her head multiple times inwardly.
'No, Hunter Esdeath isn't enduring anything right now.'
Others could only see that Esdeath was being endlessly led around by Goto Ryuji's continuous stream of attacks, but in reality, it was completely the opposite. Cha Hae-In swallowed her saliva, feeling rather astonished at the moment.
'She's actually leading Goto in such a way that Goto has no choice but to keep attacking!'
'She was definitely toying with him, evident from the mischievous grin adorning her face.'
If she was not wrong about this, then… Hunter Esdeath had matched her own pace to the opponent's, so she could figure out more about who he was facing here.
But what Cha Hae-In didn't know was that Esdeath was merely indulging in the game for her own amusement.
Such a thing was only possible if her own level of abilities was several times greater than that of her opponent's.
'How can that even make any sense….??'
But, that nonsensical event was actually unfolding right before her eyes. And now, she couldn't help but think that the real reason to stop this sparring wasn't that Hunter Esdeath might find herself in danger, but the other way around….
Just as Cha Hae-In's thoughts arrived at this point, she discovered Baek Yun-Ho next to her shuddering non-stop.
"C-Chairman Baek…??"
She called out to him in a soft voice, but he didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on Esdeath's every move. She attempted to discern his thoughts from his expression, only to be taken aback by what she saw.
'His eyes….?'
Baek Yun-Ho's eyes were gleaming in yellow like that of a wild beast. His vertical-slit eyes were trembling softly in shock.
She looked on with a worried expression on her face, but he didn't even notice that someone was looking at him right now. Baek Yun-Ho was seeing everything clearly with his 'Eyes of the Beast'.
Esdeath's power level surpassed anything he had encountered before, and it was clear she was merely toying with him at the moment.
'….A Hunter who can grow stronger!!'
Baek Yun-Ho's entire body shook from the unbridled shock.
It was then.
"…Ah!"
Baek Yun-Ho had been paying his utmost attention to Esdeath all this time, and when 'it' happened, he unconsciously spat out a frightened gasp. Cha Hae-In next to her also sensed this deeply chilling aura and hurriedly shifted her gaze.
"Ah!!"
A few seconds ago….
Goto Ryuji knew better than anyone else here that he had been suckered into Esdeath's pace.
He had been always referred to as the 'Strongest' back home, so it felt like his pride had been shoved down the gutter in its entirety by this development.
'How dare he do this to me….?!'
The attack that he meticulously aimed at the opening also missed its mark, as Esdeath always narrowly avoided it at the last possible second. Goto Ryuji grew enraged, and murderous intent began filling up his eyes.
'I'll kill her!!'
Esdeath's own eyes grew wider. She could acutely sense Goto Ryuji's killing intent, pricking her skin.
'Murderous intent?!'
However….
Swish-!!
Goto Ryuji's outstretched hand, aimed at Esdeath's eye, narrowly missed and ended up brushing her cheek just a little. If her reflexes, which had reached the absolute limit, didn't react in time and tilt her head out of the way, she might have really received a punch on the face..
It was an attack that clearly carried the intent to kill, and it was clearly aimed at a vital spot of the human anatomy. Such a thing would never be accepted during a training match like this.
Grit.
In the blink of an eye, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The temperature plummeted at an alarming rate, and ice began to form around the training camp. Even high-ranking hunters in the vicinity felt a sudden chill run down their spines.
"Ah."
Baek Yun-Ho unconsciously spat out a frightened gasp, and the water that escaped from his mouth froze mid-air.
The first person to sense the abrupt shift in the atmosphere was actually Goto Ryuji, however. Unfortunately for him, although his body understood the change, his head could not comprehend it.
The chilly air roused sleeping goosebumps, causing them to break out all over his body. It was the first time since becoming a hunter that he felt cold, and all the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He had never, ever felt like this before.
'This, what is this….?'
Even before his brain had the time to process anything, Esdeath grabbed his wrist with a vice-like grip. Goto Ryuji tried to yank his arm out with all his might, but it wouldn't budge. As ice started to form around his wrist, it slowly traveled up to his shoulder, trapping his hand in a frozen embrace. As his hand started to go numb.
'What kind of strength is this….?!'
His gaze briefly lingered on his wrist, before moving on to Esdeath's face. And he found an icy cold glare.
But what caught Goto Ryuji's attention even more than Esdeath's cold eyes were his right shoulder and his raised right arm. Esdeath's arm was cocked back by a lot; a tightly-clenched fist at the end of that arm was taking an aim at Goto Ryuji's unguarded face.
The air sinking lower all around Goto Ryuji pressed down on his shoulders. He suddenly couldn't breathe anymore.
Why?
Why did he inexplicably think of the word 'death' right at this moment?
But, then….
"S-stop!"
Baek Yun-Ho and Cha Hae-In leaped into the fray purely out of instinct, grabbing hold of Esdeath's right arm.
Baek Yun-Ho tightly hugged Esdeath's shoulder, as if trying to pull it down, while Cha Hae-In grasped onto her wrist with all her strength.
The moment their bodies made contact with Esdeath's, their own temperatures plummeted at an alarming rate.
When Esdeath looked back, Baek Yun-Ho hurriedly shook her head. Even Cha Hae-In was looking at her with anxious eyes, fear clearly visible on her face.
'....'
The desperate dissuasion of these two, who didn't even care about their own safety, somehow helped to cool Esdeath's agitation. Despite freezing everything and everyone around her, their intervention managed to temper her fury, if only slightly.
"Fuu."
She let out a short sigh and released Goto Ryuji's wrist.
The Japanese man rubbed his now-freed wrist and retreated quickly with his other hand, which was now encased in solid ice, hanging limply by his shoulder. Meanwhile, the interpreter hurriedly arrived by his side, and Baek Yun-Ho quickly spoke to him.
As the temperature returned to normal, the icy remnants vanished as if they had never existed in the first place.
"Let's stop the sparring session here, since the mood seems to have turned for the worse. Please tell the Japanese for us."
The interpreter nodded his head.
Upon hearing Baek Yun-Ho's relayed words, Goto Ryuji's gaze darted to his frozen hand, a mixture of frustration and determination evident in his eyes. Without a word, he pivoted on his heel and briskly exited the gymnasium, his S-rank healer shadowing his every move. They had to act swiftly to thaw his hand, evaluate the extent of the damage, and formulate a strategy for swift healing as toward was a very important mission.
"M-mister Goto!!"
The voice of the interpreter as he ran after Goto Ryuji sounded so pitiful. Baek Yun-Ho finally spat out a sigh of relief and lowered his head at Esdeath.
"Forgive us for butting in."
"…"
"That man is supposed to lead the Japanese team in the operation a few days from now. I couldn't just stand by and watch, even though there was a chance that something might go horribly wrong for us."
Baek Yun-Ho cautiously studied Esdeath's emotionless expression and asked.
"We will need him in four days, So did I do something unnecessary?"
"No, not at all"
Baek Yun-Ho was right. If something happened to Goto Ryuji and that led to an unnecessary snag in the operation, then both countries might end up suffering severe consequences afterwards.
So, she never thought of assigning any blame on Baek Yun-Ho or Cha Hae-In after they interfered in the timely fashion.
"Wow…."
'Especially after 3 days, I would have ample time on my hands to settle the score with him. Considering the casualties often incurred in raids like these, adding one more wouldn't make much of a difference.' she thought to herself, her determination as anyone who tried to kill her needs to die before her. As the words from the book she was reading resonated in her mind, "The only good enemy is a dead enemy," she resolved to ensure justice was served on her terms.
As the tension dissipated, spectators who had been engrossed in the sparring session between Goto Ryuji and Esdeath began to approach her. Their expressions underwent a noticeable shift, now filled with a mixture of respect and admiration. Though she paid it little mind, it still gave her a sense of satisfaction, reminiscent of the way everyone used to regard her back in the empire.
The first one to make his approach was the Master of the Shining Star Guild, the massive-framed Mah Dong-Wook.
"Huhuh!!"
Mah Dong-Wook laughed genially.
"To be able to walk away with only a small brush on your cheek after having a bout with the one and only Goto, you're truly something else, young lady!"
Regretfully, no one else seemed to have figured out what happened here besides Cha Hae-In and Baek Yun-Ho.
"What an outstanding physique you have"
Mah Dong-Wook expressed his genuine admiration after looking at Esdeath's hands.
"My Guild is full of Mage-type Hunters, so we're severely lacking in melee-types at the moment. Instructor Seong, if you haven't thought of a Guild to join, how about joining mine?"
"Excuse me, Mah Instructor-nim?"
Having been quietly observing the situation from behind until then, Choi Jong-In stepped forward and raised his voice.
"Yes?"
When Mah Dong-Wook turned his head, Choi Jong-In spoke up as if he was waiting for this moment.
"Hunter Miss Esdeath is actually a Mage-type Hunter."
A massive earthquake erupted within Mah Dong-Wook's eyes.
"What was that?!"
*
On the other hand….
Goto Ryuji swiftly exited the gymnasium and, once he had put some distance between himself and the interpreter, he inspected his hand, which remained encased in ice. Despite his attempts to melt it with his magic power, the ice stubbornly refused to dissipate.
.
'...'
His wrist was bruised black and blue all over. As he can't feel his hand below the elbow Even though the weather wasn't all that hot, there were cold sweat drops visible on his forehead. He pulled out his phone and dialled a familiar number. After a couple of rings, he could hear the sound of the phone's receiver being picked up.
Click.
– It's Matsumoto speaking.
"Association President."
– "Is it you, Goto? What's the matter with your voice?"
Goto Ryuji did his best to calm his trembling voice.
"In South Korea…. There's an incredible Hunter in South Korea."
– "More than you?"
"More than likely, sir."
– "….."
"I think there's a need to modify our plan a little bit, sir."
Matsumoto Shigeo didn't immediately say anything, but rummaged through something for a while instead, before finally asking a question.
– "The name of that Hunter is?"
"It's Hunter Esdeath. She is a Mage-type hunter specialising in Ice Magic, evaluated as a rank S recently."
– "This is strange. Such a name doesn't exist."
"I beg your pardon?"
Such a name didn't exist?
!
Did that mean the Hunter Goto Ryuji met just now was a phantom, an illusion? Well, he did kind of feel that he had been bewitched just now, though. However, didn't he also personally enter the Korean Association's website to confirm that that woman was supposed to be a Mage??
"What do you mean, sir? How can Esdeath not exist?"
– "Actually, we have received the final list of the Korean Hunters participating in the operation not too long ago."
"Are you saying Esdeath isn't on the list?"
But, how could that be?
Unless Goh Gun-Hui had gone truly senile, there was just no way that he'd form a raiding party without the strongest member available.
Matsumoto Shigeo spoke in a calm manner from across the phone line.
– "Choi Jong-In, Mah Dong-Wook, Baek Yun-Ho, Cha Hae-In, Im Tae-Gyu, and Min Byung-Gu."
As if to signify that there was no need to modify their plan at all, Matsumoto Shigeo spoke in a voice filled with conviction.
– "These six are the members of the Korean team that will leave for the raid in four days' time."
***
Baek Yun-Ho took a deep breath.
Even after the man and woman who turned the inside of the gymnasium chaotic had left, his heartbeat didn't want to slow down at all.
'Was such a thing even possible?'
Having witnessed something that he'd been hypothesizing in his head for real, Baek Yun-Ho had difficulty trying to hide his astonishment.
'An Awakened that can really grow stronger….'
Just what would be that man's true value? He can seduce her, He couldn't even dare to imagine it.
This was his reason for standing back and watching on from the distance at the efforts of Choi Jong-In, Mah Dong-Wook, and Im Tae-Gyu as they tried to scout Jin-Woo and Esdeath. He remembered Choi Jong-In's confused stare directed at him, as he didn't even bother to sweet-talk the youth.
'If it was me, I'd probably never even think about joining a Guild with an ability like that.'
Indeed.
All the attempts to scout Hunter Sung Jin-Woo were a waste of time. However, there were all sorts of ways to form a good relationship with a brilliant Hunter that didn't involve scouting him.
Time to activate the 'Plan B', then.
It was then.
Vrrr….
His mobile phone suddenly began vibrating. Seeing that the vibration didn't last for long, it must've been a text message. Without thinking too much, he pulled his phone out and took a look.
It was an alert sent out by the Association. And it was the final list of the participants for the ant subjugation raid taking place four days from now.
Baek Yun-Ho quickly skimmed through the extensive roster of Japanese Hunters, his eyes widening in surprise. He then shifted his focus to the list of Korean Hunters, but to his shock, neither Hunter Sung Jin-Woo nor Hunter Esdeath were listed. The absence of the power couple from the roster left him bewildered.
_________
Again sorry for the late chapters I am focusing on the my new fic "In the 1970s Building my Empire and a better World!" If you are interested you can visit it as it gets daily updates. But still bigger chapter than usual.