Chapter 97
"You've seen my face enough now, so there's no need to keep following me around."
Though the words were spoken lightly, the weight behind them was anything but.
'A warning...'
The senses honed from fighting on the edge of life and death were sending a strong warning.
If he crossed the line or caused any more trouble, it wouldn't end with just light words.
Of course, why would anyone look kindly on someone stalking them as they pleased?
'I caused trouble due to my own greed.'
Blaming himself for his actions, Park Seon-woo bowed his head.
"...It was an honor to meet you like this. I apologize for acting on my own and causing trouble for Hunter Lee Seong-jun."
After finishing his sincere apology, Park Seon-woo immediately turned around and left.
* * *
Lee Seong-jun also took his eyes off Park Seon-woo and returned home without lingering, enjoying dinner with his family and spending a happy day.
He thought he had definitively settled things with the person named Park Seon-woo.
However, this was only Lee Seong-jun's own perception.
The very next day.
It was just after he had left home early in the morning, walking with his usual light steps at the apartment entrance.
He sensed a familiar presence - Park Seon-woo's gaze.
He had appeared again despite the previous warning.
'I thought an A+ rank hunter would heed a warning... Tsk.'
Lee Seong-jun clicked his tongue inwardly as he was about to approach Park Seon-woo nearby.
But Park Seon-woo moved first, stepping forward with confident strides to stand before Lee Seong-jun.
"Good morning, did you sleep well?"
Park Seon-woo greeted him with a bright smile, his expression seeming to expect some kind of response. But Lee Seong-jun was not in a particularly good mood.
As he stared at Park Seon-woo's face with cold eyes, Park Seon-woo swallowed dryly.
"I thought you wouldn't have any reason to keep following me around."
"Yes, I won't secretly follow you anymore."
Park Seon-woo nodded once with determined eyes, then bent his waist at a right angle and spoke.
"I would like you to accept me as your disciple, Hunter Lee Seong-jun!"
Just like during their first meeting, there was no malice or ulterior motive felt in Park Seon-woo's actions.
However, that wasn't reason enough to accept Park Seon-woo as a disciple.
"I refuse. Don't waste your time here and look for someone else."
At Lee Seong-jun's firm words, Park Seon-woo spoke in a desperate tone.
"Please! Reconsider just once more! I sincerely want to receive teachings from Hunter Lee Seong-jun, whom I deeply respect!"
Despite Lee Seong-jun's expression remaining as still as a stone statue, Park Seon-woo didn't give up.
Rather, he burned with even more passion.
Park Seon-woo didn't stop at just bowing, but knelt on the ground.
"I'm begging you like this! Please give me just one chance!"
At Park Seon-woo's incredibly earnest attitude, Lee Seong-jun inwardly sighed.
'Haa...'
His reverence and awe for martial arts had kindled an extremely strong desire.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was engulfed in a kind of madness.
'This has become troublesome.'
Lee Seong-jun's brow furrowed, his expression hardening.
Having experienced similar situations in the Thousand Continents realm, he knew just how awkward the current situation was.
'He definitely won't give up easily.'
If he had come with malice or an ulterior motive, it would be enough to subdue him with force.
But this kind of fanatical passion can't be suppressed by force.
Rather, the more powerful martial arts he witnesses, the more enthralled he'll become.
'What should I do...'
As countless thoughts were flashing through Lee Seong-jun's mind, Park Seon-woo spoke again.
"I know I'm utterly lacking compared to Hunter Lee Seong-jun. But as an A+ rank hunter, I can confidently say my skills aren't bad!"
At Park Seon-woo's words expressing confidence in his own abilities, Lee Seong-jun's eyes lit up.
"Your skills aren't bad... Can you take responsibility for those words?"
"Yes! I can say I'm in the upper ranks among ordinary hunters!"
"Then I'll make one proposal."
"A proposal?"
"Let's have a duel. If you can land even one attack on me, I'll accept you as my disciple. But if you fail, you'll give up cleanly."
"..."
Park Seon-woo's face was shadowed as he closed his mouth.
Having watched Lee Seong-jun's friendly duel videos every day, he knew how ridiculous this condition was.
But Lee Seong-jun also didn't expect Park Seon-woo to accept such an unreasonable proposal in the first place.
With a faint smile, Lee Seong-jun slowly walked over and stood on the concrete floor with square patterns.
"For fairness, I'll add the condition that I won't leave this concrete floor I'm standing on now. How about it?"
It was such a narrow space that just standing still seemed challenging.
Even if it was Hunter Lee Seong-jun, there was no way he could properly defend in such a confined area.
Though victory was impossible, it meant there was a chance to land at least one attack.
Naturally, the shadow on Park Seon-woo's face disappeared.
"I accept your proposal, Hunter Lee Seong-jun."
At Park Seon-woo's confident answer, a smile spread across Lee Seong-jun's lips.
'It seems I can get rid of him more easily than expected.'
Though he was showing some strange behavior due to his fascination with martial arts, Park Seon-woo had always maintained a polite attitude, with pure energy and clear eyes.
He could be called a genuinely good person, with conduct and speech lacking nothing.
In other words, he wasn't the type of person to go back on his own promise.
It meant he was someone who would withdraw without complaint if he lost the bet they just made.
"When do we start?"
"Now."
The moment Lee Seong-jun finished speaking, Park Seon-woo's eyes flashed as he raised his body and charged forward as if he had been waiting for this.
Tak-
Though the air in the area was disturbed by Park Seon-woo's quick movements, there wasn't a hint of agitation in Lee Seong-jun's expression.
'Just an A+ rank hunter.'
In terms of martial artists, it was only the level of a first-class expert.
There was no way Lee Seong-jun, who had reached the realm of supreme experts and even ascended to demon god status, would fall to Park Seon-woo's attacks.
As Lee Seong-jun was about to lightly flick his finger with a relaxed smile on his face, it happened.
Whoosh-!
With a faint wind sound, Park Seon-woo's form that had filled his vision scattered.
At the same time, he sensed Park Seon-woo's presence rapidly closing the distance behind him.
'Interesting.'
Inwardly chuckling, Lee Seong-jun twisted his waist to avoid Park Seon-woo's incoming fist.
Simultaneously, Lee Seong-jun's hand shot out like a snake, grabbing Park Seon-woo's wrist and forcibly breaking his balance.
Thud-
Naturally, Park Seon-woo's body sprawled on the ground.
"Oof-!"
As Park Seon-woo, who had swallowed empty air, was urgently trying to get up, it happened.
Tap.
He felt a cold sensation on the back of his neck.
It was just a finger being extended, so there was no real damage.
But it was enough to understand the situation that had just unfolded.
"...I lost."
Even with the restrictions in place, the match was decided in a single exchange.
The gap was clear, and he had no choice but to admit defeat.
"Thank you for giving me a chance despite my unreasonable request."
Park Seon-woo bowed his head as he stood up with a resigned expression.
"Then I'll be going now..."
As Park Seon-woo finished his greeting and was about to leave, Lee Seong-jun's tightly closed lips parted.
"That movement just now... Did you copy it after watching me?"
"Yes, I tried to copy the technique you used in the friendly match with China before. But I was still far from adequate."
Seeing Park Seon-woo scratch the back of his head with an awkward smile, Lee Seong-jun nodded.
'I thought he accepted the proposal too easily...'
Though quite clumsy, Park Seon-woo's movements just now closely resembled the Lightning Step technique.
'He's more skilled than I thought.'
The Lightning Step wasn't used as the pinnacle technique of the Wind Thunder Steps for no reason.
It's a martial art that can only be performed with not just proficiency in the Wind Thunder Steps, but also a fundamental understanding of martial arts.
Yet Park Seon-woo claimed to have copied it just from watching.
It meant his aptitude was extremely developed.
'Though he can't be called having a heavenly martial body, he's certainly talented enough to be called a genius.'
Of course, if it was just exceptional aptitude, Lee Seong-jun wouldn't have stopped Park Seon-woo from leaving.
'That energy I felt when I grabbed his wrist just now...'
Lee Seong-jun narrowed his eyes and questioned Park Seon-woo.
"Have you ever felt like there was an electric current flowing in your body?"
"I don't think I've ever felt such a sensation."
"Then... Have you had any near-electrocution accidents?"
"There was one... But it was when I was very young so I don't remember clearly. I just heard that I luckily survived an electric shock accident when I was little."
A strange light gleamed in Lee Seong-jun's eyes.
'As I thought...!'
Park Seon-woo was born with the Thunder Spirit Demon Body, capable of absorbing lightning energy.
The Thunder Spirit Demon Body has exceptional aptitude worthy of being called a genius, as well as the very unique trait of being able to absorb lightning energy.
At the same time, it's the only physique that can learn the Thunder Awakening Cloud Echo Divine Technique.
It meant he could learn the martial arts of Han Ye-baek, the First of the Eight Great Demon Clans who was considered the pillar of the Blood Sect.
A bright smile spread across Lee Seong-jun's face.
'Korea was overlooking an incredible treasure.'
As mentioned before, the Thunder Spirit Demon Clan's Han Ye-baek was considered the foremost among the Eight Great Demon Clans.
Of course, he didn't earn the honor of being called the best without reason.
The Thunder Awakening Cloud Echo Divine Technique could cause destruction worthy of being called a natural disaster.
In fact, the Thunder Spirit Demon Clan's Han Ye-baek could summon lightning just by waving his hand, killing countless Murim Alliance martial artists.
Excluding the difficult learning condition of the Thunder Spirit Demon Body, it was a divine technique on par with the Blood Shadow Asura Divine Technique in terms of pure destructive power.
'With his genius-level aptitude and innate Thunder Spirit Demon Body traits, if he can just learn the Thunder Awakening Cloud Echo Divine Technique, he'll be able to overcome his inner walls in no time.'
Depending on Park Seon-woo's efforts, if he trains diligently, he could reach SSS rank in as little as 1 year, or 2 years at most.
'...He's worth taking in as a subordinate.'