I, still feeling a bit dazed after the experience on stage, now sit in the back row, trying my best to stay "hidden." But it seems my efforts are pointless, as I can still feel the eyes of many people glancing my way at every opportunity.
A loud round of applause fills the grand hall, reverberating through every corner as the Hunter Association Chairman wraps up his speech. The serious faces of S to C Rank Hunters from various guilds seem fully focused, listening intently for the important announcement that's about to be made.
The Chairman taps the microphone, regaining everyone's attention. "Hunters, today we gather here to kick off a grand event held only once every five years. This tournament is an opportunity for you to show off your skills, make connections, and maybe even find a partner in life, hahaha."
Another burst of applause breaks out. Next to me, a B-Rank Hunter from a local guild whispers to his partner.
"I heard there are participants from guilds in Japan and America with incredible power. Apparently, one of them has even managed to conquer several S-class dungeons."
I gulp, hearing that. S-class dungeons? Oh God, why do they have to come here too?
The Chairman continues, "This tournament will start from the round of 16, with a one-on-one format. Each participant will compete in an arena equipped with high-level safety measures. And, as we all know… some of you are the best in the country."
A faint smile crosses the Chairman's face as he looks in my direction. I nearly choke. Wait… he's looking at me? Does this mean…
"Selected Hunters," the Chairman goes on, "will represent the pride of their guilds. And of course, we're eagerly anticipating the participation of Hunter Do-yun, already famous for his incredible bravery."
All eyes suddenly turn to me. The room falls silent for a moment, followed by murmurs of admiration from every direction. I can only hold my breath, desperately searching for a way to get out of this situation. How did I get involved in this again?! I've never even fought one-on-one before!
My Guild Master stands from his seat and nods at me, signaling that this is a golden opportunity I shouldn't waste.
"Hunter Do-yun," the Chairman calls to me again, "I hope you're willing to take part in this tournament. Your presence will boost the spirits of the participants and the audience alike."
Swallowing nervously, I reluctantly stand from my seat. "Uh… yes, of course. I'll… participate," I reply, trying hard to keep my voice from shaking.
The room fills with cheers again. The Hunters around me look impressed, congratulating me as if I'd already won the tournament.
One of the Hunters sitting beside me, a tall, muscular man named Lee Jin-sung, pats my shoulder with a respectful smile.
"I knew you'd enter this tournament, Do-yun-ssi. This is the perfect time to show your skills to the world."
I can only nod with a stiff smile. Good grief, if only they knew I haven't even trained…
After the opening ceremony ends, the Hunters are directed to the vast training arena. Some of them begin practicing, trying to gauge the abilities of potential opponents. Meanwhile, I can only stand there, feeling lost, wondering what I'm supposed to do in this tournament.
While I'm deep in thought, someone approaches me. It's Yoo Min-ah, a fairly well-known Rank A Hunter. She looks at me with a smile that's hard to interpret.
"Do-yun-ssi, I've heard a lot about you. Actually, I'm curious to face you in this tournament," she says enthusiastically.
"Uh… face me?" I ask, trying to cover my panic.
Yoo Min-ah nods. "Of course! You're one of the most respected Hunters in our guild. Many people want to learn from you, including me."
"Oh, I see… yeah, yeah, thank you," I reply, trying to stay calm. Learn from me my ass! I don't even know what I'm supposed to teach!
Suddenly, I imagine myself in the arena, facing tough opponents like Yoo Min-ah or Jin-sung, with thousands of eyes watching. Anxiety rushes back, but I steel myself. I have to survive this tournament without anyone realizing I don't actually have any special skills.
The day of the tournament finally arrives. The grand underground arena beneath the main guild building is packed with spectators from various cities. Every seat is filled, and the big screen displays the participants and match schedule.
When the names are announced, cheers erupt throughout the arena. As my name is called, I try to put on a confident smile, though my heart is racing more than ever.
My first match is against a B-Rank Hunter named Park Seok-jin. He's known as a tough fighter with heavy weapon skills, and his reputation in battle is pretty intimidating.
In the preparation room, I try to recall anything that could help me survive. Okay, Do-yun, you just have to last as long as possible and hope Seok-jin doesn't take things too seriously. Maybe if I look casual enough, he won't go all out.
A staff member approaches, informing me that the match is about to start. I nod slightly and walk toward the arena, my heart pounding.
In the arena, I look at Park Seok-jin, who stands tall across from me. He's holding his heavy weapon, a massive hammer with a shiny steel head radiating an intimidating aura. His face shows a serious, determined expression. Clearly, he's not treating this match as a joke.
On the other hand, I just stand there with empty hands, trying to remember anything about survival tactics. My only hope is to dodge that deadly weapon and hold out as long as possible.
Okay, Do-yun, stay calm. You just need to… somehow, stay alive.
"Begin!" the referee shouts, and Seok-jin lunges forward.
I'm startled as Seok-jin attacks with full force, swinging his massive hammer, which cuts through the air at terrifying speed. In seconds, the distance between us vanishes. My reflexes kick in, making me roll to the side, narrowly avoiding the hammer swing with bated breath. The blow hits the ground hard, sending tremors that nearly knock me off balance.
The crowd roars loudly, while I try to steady myself. As I stand, Seok-jin is already preparing for his next strike.
"You're really tough, Do-yun-ssi! Get ready, I won't hold back!" Seok-jin shouts, raising his hammer again.
Wait, that was him holding back?
Before I can process his words, he attacks again. The hammer swings from the side, and I immediately duck. I feel a gust of wind above my head, barely missing my face. Internally, I'm panicking, but my body keeps moving, stepping backward and keeping distance from him.
Seok-jin charges forward again, this time with a vertical swing aiming to pin me down. I jump to the side, but a slight graze from his hammer hits my shoulder, pushing me backward. A sharp pain stings, but I keep stepping back, quickly trying to think.
The surrounding crowd keeps cheering, giving Seok-jin extra energy as he grows even more enthusiastic.
Okay, focus. I have to try something…
Before I realize it, I've stepped back all the way to the edge of the arena. In an instant, I stop dead in my tracks. Damn, there's no more room to run!
In front of me, Seok-jin grinned confidently. "You're good, Do-yun-ssi, but there's nowhere left to run now."
He prepared his final swing, lifting his hammer high, readying a blow that seemed impossible to dodge.
Alright… if it's come to this, I'll have to think of something else!
Panicked, I glanced down at the arena floor. For a brief moment, I noticed a small gap between Seok-jin's hammer and the stone footing that had already cracked from his previous strikes. Just as his hammer hurtled toward me, I dropped forward, letting my body fall low enough that his hammer struck the cracked floor instead. Holding my breath, I twisted to avoid the blast of shattered stones flying from the impact.
The crowd was silent for a moment, then whispers of awe and astonishment echoed.
"He dodged that? What kind of technique is that?" someone muttered in the audience.
While I struggled to calm my racing heart, Seok-jin seemed a bit out of breath. I got to my feet and took a deep breath. Still alive. Damn, this is just the first match, but why does it feel so intense?
With an admiring look, Seok-jin gazed at me, letting out a heavy breath. "Do-yun-ssi, you're truly impressive. You managed to dodge all my attacks so… elegantly."
I nodded stiffly, still trying to slow my heartbeat. Elegant, huh? If only they knew I was just jumping around aimlessly…
Feeling challenged, Seok-jin steadied his stance again. He advanced quickly, his large hammer ready for another swing. But this time, I noticed a pattern in his attacks. Every time he swung the hammer, he'd leave a slight opening on his left side.
Yes, there it is!
As he approached, I took a chance and moved in closer to his left side, stepping quickly into that gap. Just as he swung his hammer, I sidestepped and moved past him. Seok-jin looked confused when his attack missed again, and the audience began to cheer.
"Wow! Do-yun-ssi is so fast!" shouted one of the spectators.
"His technique is incredible! He's really different from other Hunters!" added another.
Seok-jin seemed even more determined after hearing the audience's praise. With renewed fire, he came at me with faster attacks, trying to corner me into the arena's edge. I worked hard to avoid slipping or getting trapped, and with each of my moves, his attacks grew more intense.
At the same time, I realized that the crowd's cheers weren't just regular support. They saw me as a real fighter, someone capable of standing toe-to-toe with a powerful Hunter like Seok-jin. I almost laughed to myself, knowing this was all thanks to my lucky moves.
If things keep going like this, I might actually beat Seok-jin without giving anything away.
Seeing that Seok-jin was beginning to tire, I decided to fake a "counterattack." I raised my hand as if preparing to strike, even though I had no idea what to actually do. Seok-jin looked surprised and even took a step back, giving me more room to move freely.
As he stepped back, I seized the chance to make a "feint," a punch that didn't even come close to hitting him. But it was enough to throw him off balance, forcing him to pull his large hammer back to stop himself from stumbling.
The crowd cheered once more, clearly impressed by what they saw as a calculated tactic.
Finally, Seok-jin raised his hand. "I give up, Do-yun-ssi. You win."
The room erupted into wild applause as the referee announced the result.
"The winner of this match is… Do-yun!"
The cheers sounded like a dream while I tried to process what had just happened. Inwardly, I told myself, I really did it…
Watching Seok-jin walk back to his seat, I realized that my journey in this tournament might just be beginning.