"They seem kinda lousy to me, to be honest," Hanekawa commented casually. Her tone was blunt, bordering on indifferent, as she glanced over the South Korean hunters. Her words, though quiet, were enough to elicit a faint smirk on Goto Ryuji's face.
Unbeknownst to her, someone from the Korean group seemed to have caught wind of what she said. A man in a sharp black suit, part of the South Korean delegation, turned to her with a look of displeasure.
"Hey, translator lady," he called out, his tone sharp and accusatory. "What did you just say? South Korean hunters are lousy?"
The man's voice carried across the room, drawing the attention of his fellow hunters. Walking briskly toward Hanekawa, his footsteps were accompanied by another man in a similar suit, clearly his subordinate. Their expressions were anything but friendly.
Hanekawa, who had been standing beside Goto as part of his group, turned her head in their direction. Her expression showed nothing but confusion as she tried to piece together who these men were and why they were addressing her so aggressively.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice calm but tinged with genuine bewilderment. Her question wasn't meant to provoke but rather to seek clarity, as she truly had no idea who they were.
The question, however, hit a nerve. A vein bulged visibly on the first man's forehead, and his associate stepped forward, his voice rising as if to compensate for his superior's momentary silence.
"What? You don't know who this is?" the subordinate exclaimed, his tone incredulous. "This man is the guild master of the Knights Guild—Park Jong-su Hyung-nim!"
The declaration echoed in the room as if the title alone should have commanded respect. The man himself, Park Jong-su, stood there, arms crossed, his face a mix of irritation and indignation. He clearly expected some recognition or acknowledgment of his status.
"Park Jong-su?" Hanekawa repeated, her brow furrowed slightly. Her tone lacked any hint of mockery—it was purely factual. "That's the first time I'm hearing that name." Her words were delivered with such sincerity that it was hard to tell if she was being dismissive or genuinely ignorant of his reputation.
….
Meanwhile, Madara sat on the sidelines, watching the interaction unfold with detached interest. His piercing eyes observed every movement and expression of those involved, but he made no move to intervene. He had no intention of getting involved in this petty exchange—his focus lay elsewhere.
"They'll probably escalate this into a match," Madara mused quietly, speaking to the woman standing beside him, his secretary. His tone was calm, as if he were discussing the weather rather than the potential for conflict. "Judging by their behavior, they might even try to humiliate me or go as far as mutilating me."
His secretary turned to him sharply, her eyes widening in shock at his words. "What?" she said, her voice calm and cold. "You know that, and yet you're still here? If there's a chance of being caught in their schemes, shouldn't you avoid the situation entirely?"
Madara's lips curled into a faint smirk, his calm looking for something fun one tugged on his face. "Not necessarily," he replied. "It's just a possibility. But judging by how they looked at me earlier in the meeting room, it's clear they see me as a traitor. In their eyes, I betrayed Japan. That hostility isn't something they'll let go of easily."
"Oh… just to be clear… No, I'm not from Japan." His voice was steady, almost indifferent, as he explained his reasoning. "And for better reasoning, their treatment of me has been consistent—subtle slights, insults, killing intent and now this. It's only a matter of time before they escalate further. If they think they can corner me, they'll take the chance."
The secretary's face remained tense as she processed his words. Despite her concern, Madara showed no signs of hesitation.
To him, the hostility of these hunters was little more than a predictable nuisance, something to be observed, studied, and ultimately dealt with when the time was right.
"Though… I'm hoping for the situation to go that way. I want to see how strong the almost national hunter Goto Ryuji is!" Madara stated as he looked at the front.
…
The tension in the hall reached its peak as Hanekawa and Park Jong-su stood at the center, ready for their spar.
Despite the casual nature of the challenge, the air was thick with anticipation.
Hanekawa, known for her sharp tongue and ability to provoke reactions, had hurled some cutting remarks at the guild master.
Whether out of annoyance or a desire to teach her a lesson, Park Jong-su had accepted the challenge.
Both participants took their positions. The rules were straightforward: grab the opponent's hand, touch their back, or force them to touch the floor. The first to achieve any of these would be declared the winner. The simplicity of the rules did nothing to lessen the seriousness of the atmosphere.
The two began to circle each other, their movements cautious but deliberate. Hanekawa's stance was surprisingly composed for someone who had just been pulled into a spar, while Park Jong-su exuded the confidence of a seasoned guild master.
After a few seconds of reaction and some show off from the other party.
The match began with a swift motion from Hanekawa. She darted forward, her footwork light and agile as she tried to close the distance.
Her strategy was simple: keep moving and look for an opening. Park Jong-su, however, remained calm, stepping back effortlessly to avoid her attempts. His movements were precise, as if he could predict her every move.
"Not bad," he commented, sidestepping another one of her lunges. "You're faster than I thought."
Hanekawa grinned. "You talk big for someone who hasn't landed a single move yet."
Her taunt barely fazed him, though it did draw a few chuckles from the audience. Park Jong-su shifted his weight, suddenly closing the gap between them with a burst of speed. Hanekawa barely managed to dodge, twisting her body to avoid his outstretched hand.
The spar continued at a fast pace, with Hanekawa relying on her agility to evade Park Jong-su's calculated strikes.
She managed to slip out of his reach several times, earning murmurs of surprise from the onlookers.
However, Park Jong-su's experience was evident.
He moved with a fluidity and precision that made it clear he was merely toying with her, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
As the match intensified, Hanekawa saw an opportunity to press the attack. She feigned a retreat, then pivoted sharply, aiming to grab his wrist from an unexpected angle.
Park Jong-su responded immediately, his reflexes lightning-fast as he blocked her move with his leg outstretching them. But as he did so, a faint tearing sound filled the air.
Rip!
"It is not cool to make that amazing pose while your whole crotch is exposed." Hanekawa said as she looked at him.
The fabric of Park Jong-su's pants gave way at the bottom, splitting from the hemline near his ankle.
The sound wasn't loud, but in the relative silence of the hall, it was unmistakable.
Both combatants froze for a split second, and Park Jong-su's eyes widened in realization. His face turned an uncharacteristic shade of red as he glanced down to confirm the embarrassing wardrobe malfunction.
The room fell into a stunned silence before a ripple of suppressed laughter began spreading among the spectators. Hanekawa, sensing the shift in his focus, couldn't resist commenting.
Park Jong-su's flustered reaction gave her a split-second opening. Without missing a beat, she lunged forward, aiming to grab his wrist and claim victory while his guard was momentarily down.
Her movements were swift and calculated, her confidence evident as she closed the distance between them.
But Park Jong-su's superior reflexes were not to be underestimated. The moment he sensed her approach, his demeanor shifted.
His embarrassment melted away, replaced by razor-sharp focus. In an instant, he moved faster than she could react, appearing directly in front of her like a blur.
Before Hanekawa could fully comprehend what had happened, his hand shot out and firmly grasped her wrist mid-motion, halting her attack entirely. His grip was firm yet controlled, his strength undeniable.
"Nice try," he said with a calm, almost amused tone, his earlier flustered expression completely gone. "But you'll have to do better than that."
"Tch!"
….
The spar ended swiftly. Despite Hanekawa's spirited attempt to hold her ground, Park Jong-su's experience and superior strength and speed made the outcome inevitable. With a calculated move, he caught Hanekawa hanekawa hand so fast that she wasn't even able to react, ending the duel decisively.
As the spar concluded, Goto Ryuji stepped forward, his presence drawing the attention of everyone in the room. His ever-present smile curved upward as he addressed Park Jong-su, his tone amiable yet calculated.
"That was quite the spectacle. An interesting duel, I must say," Goto remarked, his words laced with a subtle hint of amusement. He turned to Hanekawa, who was still recovering from her defeat. "Hanekawa, can you relay a message for me?"
"Ah, of course," she responded with a nod, already preparing herself to translate his words.
Goto began, his voice steady and authoritative. "To build trust between us for the upcoming Jeju Island raid, I have an announcement to make to the South Korean hunters."
Hanekawa translated his words with precision, her tone professional despite her earlier spar. Her gaze moved across the room, ensuring every Korean hunter was listening.
"The announcement is this," Goto continued, pausing for effect. "How about we engage in another spar—this time using the same rules as before—but between the S-rank hunters?"
(A/N: Will you be able to believe me that I wrote this whole chapter in under 1 hour, I just started writed this 1 hour ago and then poof… an hour hine by and the chapter was ready… when you get focus on something time is gardily the thing u will care about. )
(Ph… share your thoughts of how was the chapter.)