Chapter 35
At the same time Seong-jun Lee was walking...
The brothers known as the Shadow Brothers, Gi-jun Kim and Gi-yeol Kim, were looking around with narrowed eyes.
"Hmm..."
Before hunting their target, they always check the traces of battle left behind.
This was both a habit and a survival method for living as villains who commit evil deeds.
Of course, it was also highly effective.
Unlike simple written reports, actual battle traces could reliably reveal the target's fighting style and abilities.
"Amazing, did he take out all the Blue Tigers in one shot?"
As the younger brother, Gi-yeol, expressed his admiration, the expression of the older brother, Gi-jun, hardened.
"Seong-jun Lee is definitely not a B-rank."
The more intense a fight, the more traces it tends to leave behind.
However, there were hardly any traces left from Seong-jun's battle with the Blue Tigers.
This meant it was a one-sided massacre, taking them out one by one with a single strike.
Now they understood why the request form had emphasized never to let their guard down.
"Just looking at the destructive power alone, it would be believable even if he was called A+ rank. However..."
Gi-jun and Gi-yeol look at each other with gleaming eyes.
"You had the same thought, brother?"
Gi-jun nods at Gi-yeol's question.
"It's amateurish. He has a lot of power but hasn't learned to utilize it at all yet."
"First-class power but third-rate skill in using it. They said he's a returnee, but it seems he doesn't have much combat experience."
A sardonic smile appears on the faces of the two brothers, resembling each other.
In fact, it wasn't uncommon.
There were quite a few foolish returnees who had obtained what people called "gifts" but didn't know how to properly use that power.
And such individuals were no match for those like themselves who had extensive experience hunting countless people.
They could tell without even having to think too deeply about it.
"No matter how powerful an attack is, it's useless if you can't land a hit."
"With this level of technique, he won't even be able to graze our collars."
There was absolutely no reason to think about defeat or danger.
After finishing all calculations, Gi-jun nods his head.
"...So we will kill Seong-jun Lee today, as planned."
The expressions of the two brothers were filled with nothing but confidence.
* * *
Having made their decision, the Shadow Brothers moved towards where they sensed Seong-jun's presence.
Since they were approaching each other, the Shadow Brothers and Seong-jun were able to face each other before long.
Gi-yeol lowers the hood he was wearing to hide his face and gives a sardonic smile.
"You must be Seong-jun Lee, the B-rank hunter and returnee. Nice to meet you, I'm Gi-yeol Kim."
"I'm Gi-jun Kim."
Despite the casual greetings, Seong-jun's eyes were cold as ice.
"No matter how I look at you, you don't seem to be from the association."
From the smell of blood emanating from Gi-yeol and Gi-jun's bodies to the gaze filled with murderous intent, they absolutely did not look like association employees.
If he had to guess their occupation, only one thing came to mind.
'Villains.'
They were no ordinary riffraff.
Judging by their well-honed aura, they were at least first-class martial artists, equivalent to A-rank by Earth's standards.
Of course, A-rank villains wouldn't have visited without a reason.
"Were you sent by Hwanseong?"
"Do you think we're fools who would reveal our client so easily?"
Seong-jun silently smiles.
To be honest, he had hoped inwardly.
But there was no need to be disappointed even if he didn't hear it right away.
They would tell him soon enough anyway.
'I can't gauge their exact abilities, but in terms of level, they're both first-class martial artists.'
With their numerical advantage and experience and knowledge as demons, there was no way they would consider defeat within the same level, even if he had some unique ability.
Moreover, this was inside a gate.
In a space where life and death hang in the balance every moment, there were separate laws established by hunters rather than ordinary laws.
'Even murder is permitted if the opponent is a villain.'
This meant there was no need to hold back.
Seong-jun watches the Shadow Brothers' movements with cold eyes.
"Judging by your reaction, it seems you don't know about us, the Shadow Brothers."
Seong-jun lets out a dry laugh.
"I don't think I need to know. Why don't you just tell me why you're here?"
"Why else? We're here to take care of what our client asked us to do."
As a sardonic smile spreads across Gi-yeol's lips, Seong-jun's expression hardens.
"From the atmosphere, it doesn't seem like an ordinary request."
"If it was an ordinary job, we wouldn't have come personally."
A sharp gaze scans Seong-jun's body up and down, then Gi-yeol pulls out a dagger from his chest and rushes forward.
"So, just die quietly."
He's fast.
Gi-yeol's form, wrapped in darkness, closes the distance in an instant.
It was a movement that could be called excellent even among first-class martial artists.
But it's too linear.
Just before the dagger makes contact with his body, Seong-jun bends his waist backwards and narrowly avoids Gi-yeol's attack.
Swish-!
"Huh...?"
Gi-yeol's eyes widen at the completely unexpected situation.
'I missed?'
He had launched a bold preemptive strike because his opponent was showing an obvious opening right in front of him.
Yet his attack had missed spectacularly.
'How?'
It was a straightforward and crude attack, but it was still a surprise attack that perfectly caught him off guard.
There was no way he could have reacted properly when he was showing such an opening.
So the only hypothesis that could be formed now was one:
'My luck must have been terribly bad.'
In contrast, Seong-jun's luck must have been incredibly good.
"Damn it."
As Gi-yeol's brow furrows, Seong-jun naturally flows into a counterattack.
Whoosh-!
Seong-jun's fist fills Gi-yeol's field of vision.
It was a somewhat bewildering situation, but nothing changed.
Rushing in without thought just because an opening was visible was an amateur move.
There was no way he, Kim Gi-yeol, an A-rank villain, would make such a foolish action.
"Nice penetration."
Gi-jun, who had been quietly observing Gi-yeol's battle, nods his head, then his form is enveloped in darkness and vanishes.
At the same time, Seong-jun's brow furrows as he extends his fist.
"..."
Gi-jun, who had clearly been at quite a distance, suddenly appears behind Gi-yeol.
'Not knowing about our alias as the Shadow Brothers, that was your downfall.'
There was a reason Gi-yeol and Gi-jun had earned the alias of Shadow Brothers.
The two had been living as villains together since childhood, and 15 years ago, they awakened at the same time in the same space.
Moreover, even the skills they obtained at the moment of awakening were interconnected.
S-rank skill, Shadow Movement.
This skill, whose only drawback was a 1-minute cooldown time, had the overpowered ability to allow them to move to each other's shadows within 100 meters without any terrain restrictions.
Without knowing about this ability, it would be impossible to properly fight against the Shadow Brothers.
In fact, bewilderment could be seen in Seong-jun's eyes.
'Of course you'd be flustered.'
It wasn't just Seong-jun.
Before the name Shadow Brothers became known, even many A+ rank hunters had been at a loss against this skill.
Naturally, a sardonic smile spreads across Gi-jun's face.
'So blame your own ignorance for not knowing about the Shadow Brothers' alias.'
Judging that it was an attack that absolutely could not be avoided at such close range, Gi-jun thrusts his dagger towards Seong-jun's heart with all his might.
Thud-!
"It's over."
Contrary to his confident words, the dagger embedded in Seong-jun's body couldn't advance even 1cm.
"Wh-what?!"
It was clearly a perfect attack.
Yet somehow the muscles were so firm that the dagger wouldn't penetrate.
It felt like stabbing a hard rock.
'So it wasn't that his destructive power was exceptional, but simply that his physical abilities themselves were overwhelming...'
An unexpected variable had arisen, but it wasn't a big problem.
'In the end, he's just a fool who can't even control his own strength.'
Given the overwhelming difference in actual combat experience against people, if they continued a battle that gradually ate away at his stamina, he would eventually reach his limit.
'First, create some distance, then continue a war of attrition until his stamina drops.'
After that, it wouldn't be difficult.
'No matter how tough a body he has, there are always weaknesses.'
A prime example is the eyes, a part that can never be toughened due to the structure of the human body.
If he stabs the eyes with a sharp dagger and then ravages the inside, he will eventually collapse unable to endure.
'There's no way I can lose.'
Fortunately, Gi-yeol seems to be thinking the same thing as he nods and sends a signal.
Gi-jun hardens his expression and is about to move his feet.
But at that moment.
Seong-jun's form moves.
Tap-!
Gi-jun's eyes widen at Seong-jun's sudden and agile movement.
"No, how?"
What people commonly call an all-rounder, a hunter with all abilities evenly developed, was so rare it could be counted on one hand.
So having confirmed Seong-jun's outstanding destructive power and defensive ability earlier, they thought his speed wouldn't be that fast.
But what on earth was this situation?
In his field of vision, Seong-jun was closing the distance in an instant.
His body had clearly felt like a heavy rock before, but now it gave the impression of a wild horse.
Bam bam bam-!
Seong-jun's hands and feet fly at Gi-jun incessantly, filling his vision.
"Hnngh...!"
He was doing his best to block the onslaught of attacks, but he could sense that he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer in this state.
'I need to get away quickly, before it's too late.'
However, unfortunately, Gi-jun was unable to put the thought that came to mind into action.
Every time he tried to find an opening to escape, Seong-jun's fists and arms would fly in as if they had been waiting, blocking his path.
'This isn't good.'
But worst of all was that as this exchange continued, even the escape routes to avoid attacks were gradually being cut off.
'Damn it...'
As the situation reached its limit due to Seong-jun's relentless attacks, there was only one thing left for Gi-jun to rely on.
'The cooldown on Shadow Movement is...?'
It was in that split second when he rolled his eyes to check what could be considered the only escape route at present.
"Dodge!"
Along with Gi-yeol's urgent voice ringing in his ears, a dizzying pain is felt in his abdomen.
Crack-!
"Kuhek...!"
Red blood gushes from the mouth of Gi-jun, who is sprawled ungracefully on the ground.
His eyeballs were shaking violently as if there had been an earthquake.
'What on earth?'
It would be no exaggeration to say the person himself had changed.
Just now, Seong-jun's attacks were so intricate and precise that it was hard to believe he was the same hunter who had hunted Blue Tigers in such a crude manner.
These were not movements that could be shown by a fool who only relied on brute strength.
As he racked his brains to find the reason, suddenly one hypothesis flashed through his mind.
'...No way?'
Gi-jun's face contorts.
"Did you hide your true skills knowing we were after you?"
Although he threw out the question to resolve the doubt in his mind, sadly what came back was an unexpected question.
"Is this your full strength?"
"What did you say?"
"Judging by your reaction, it seems this is your full strength... How disappointing."
An out-of-the-blue statement, but for some reason, anxiety was filling a corner of his heart.