Park Soobin decided to speak honestly based on what he knew.
"He hasn't fought any monsters for a year, so I'm not sure about his offensive skills. However, it's certain that he has excellent mana control and extremely strong defensive skills."
"Send me the report."
"Yes."
Park Soobin transferred the report he had compiled on Yoon Seo to Kwon Jihan's U-pad. Kwon Jihan projected a hologram into the air. Yoo Juncheol, noticing Kwon Jihan's unusual behavior, asked abruptly.
"Why, Jihan? Do you find Hunter Yoon Seo suspicious? Does he seem like Seo Chaeyoon?"
"I'm not saying he's Seo Chaeyoon. I'm saying he's the most suspicious among the candidates. That guy has four guardian gods."
"The number of guardian gods doesn't correlate with a hunter's rank. Remember that F-rank hunter who had the protection of five gods? What about Yoon Seo's traits?"
"That trait wasn't there."
Kwon Jihan crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.
"And there's something else strange. Since I was using
After quietly listening, Park Soobin cautiously spoke.
"Yoon Seo is indifferent and apathetic toward others by nature."
Kwon Jihan sneered at what sounded like an excuse.
"The alert didn't appear. That doesn't mean he didn't use the skill."
"Then…."
Kwon Jihan closed his mouth, giving a look that said, You already know, don't you? A chill ran through Park Soobin's entire body as if he'd been electrocuted.
In other words, Yoon Seo had used an insight skill without being detected by Kwon Jihan.
For an S-rank hunter not to notice, the only possibility was that the other person was of the same rank.
"Jihan, are you saying… Yoon Seo is…."
"Yeah. He's S-rank."
Kwon Jihan drove in the nail.
Currently, there were only fifteen active S-rank hunters. Although the number had doubled compared to ten years ago, the number of dungeons had tripled, making it still a small figure. If Yoon Seo truly was S-rank—or if he was Seo Chaeyoon—mentioning it carelessly could turn the world upside down. It was terrifying information, impossible to ignore or hastily reveal.
'This makes no sense. It can't be true.'
Even as he dismissed the possibility, cold sweat formed on Park Soobin's palms, and he rubbed them against his clothes. A shadow fell over his anxious face. If it was true, then Yoon Seo must have already known that he was only A-rank.
All the strange, overly cautious behavior came to mind. The way he bristled like a cat at every word and action. But Yoon Seo was ordinary. Aside from being a beauty and indifferent, he mingled normally with his colleagues, complained about his superiors, and enjoyed various hobbies like an ordinary person. It was impossible for an arrogant, lofty S-rank to live such an ordinary life.
"Yoon Seo might not have an insight skill. Just because you have it doesn't mean everyone else does."
When Yoo Juncheol spoke calmly, Kwon Jihan furrowed his brow.
"What S-rank doesn't have an insight skill? Even F-ranks carry insight items these days."
"So are you sure he's S-rank? Did you see with your own eyes a profile that clearly stated he's S-rank?"
"...."
"What was the profile rank?"
Kwon Jihan pouted, as if unwilling to answer. In moments like this, he showed his childish side.
"The profile said B-rank."
Yoo Juncheol narrowed his eyes as if to say, See? But Kwon Jihan raised his eyebrows and responded confidently.
"Hyung, you know what my insight skill is, right? It's a skill that sees everything."
"I know."
"But even with my insight skill, parts of Yoon Seo's system profile text were glitched."
"…That's definitely strange."
Yoo Juncheol furrowed his brows.
"Until now, the only profiles my skill couldn't fully read were those of S-ranks. That much, I'm certain. Believe it or not, it's up to you."
Kwon Jihan, as if unwilling to explain further, spoke curtly and zoomed in on Yoon Seo's photo in the hologram. His pale, delicate face, jet-black hair, and brown eyes gave off a subtly mysterious aura. While he looked youthful enough to pass as a student, his indifferent expression, as if he had been through everything and transcended worldly concerns, made him appear older than twenty-nine.
Glaring at Yoon Seo's photo as if he wanted to devour it, Kwon Jihan smirked.
"He looks too frail to fight, but his insides are different."
"Hey, hey."
When Kwon Jihan smiled broadly, Yoo Juncheol, sensing unease, lightly tapped his shoulder.
"Stop smiling like that. Every time you do, my stomach hurts, you bastard. This person hasn't been confirmed to have offensive skills, and we're not here to fight him. We're looking for Seo Chaeyoon."
"I know. Stop nagging."
"You'd better remember. You don't look like you understand when you smile like that."
"Well, wouldn't it be fun to fight him along the way?"
"What's fun about that? Does this guy have the blessing of a battle-obsessed god or something?"
Yoo Juncheol's lament was sincere, but the other guild members smiled as if they had just heard an amusing joke. Everyone except Park Soobin.
In truth, the Seokyoung guild hunters didn't find Yoo Juncheol or Kwon Jihan particularly intimidating. Yoo Juncheol naturally created a relaxed environment for his subordinates, and Kwon Jihan wasn't the type to take much interest in weaker individuals.
When people first meet Kwon Jihan, they worry, "What if that S-rank hunter, notorious for being a battle maniac, fierce, and prickly, suddenly picks a fight with me?" But they soon realize that such concerns are unnecessary. He doesn't even consider the weak as worthy opponents. Because of this, the guild members of Seokyoung neither avoided him nor hesitated to greet him when they ran into him inside the building. On the other hand, it was widely rumored that Rio Deli, the recently recruited S-rank hunter of Seokyoung, would clutch his chest in distress and flee the moment he spotted even a strand of Kwon Jihan's hair from afar.
"Jihan, how was Hwashim's profile? Was it clear and readable?"
"How many times do I have to say it? There was nothing special. No flame skills, and he was C-rank. He only had one guardian god."
"That's really suspicious."
Yoo Juncheol stroked his chin. The guild member in charge of Hwashim quickly interjected.
"I definitely saw Hwashim using a flame skill with my own eyes."
"Yeah, even I don't think Hwashim gave off a C-rank vibe. I find Hwashim more suspicious than Yoon Seo. What if your insight skill just doesn't work on him, Kwon Jihan?"
"Think whatever you want. Anyway, I don't feel like fighting Hwashim."
Kwon Jihan crossed his long legs and sank back into the sofa as if to signal he was done with the topic. Despite this, Yoon Seo's report remained displayed in front of him.
Though the conversation soon shifted to Hwashim, Kwon Jihan kept his focus solely on Yoon Seo's report.
And so did one other person: Park Soobin.
He didn't think Yoon Seo could possibly be Seo Chaeyoon, but he was anxious at the thought that Yoon Seo might truly be S-rank and might have realized he was secretly investigating him.
When he first heard that the subject of observation was a potential Seo Chaeyoon candidate, he had gone with anticipation, only to meet someone who looked like they were bored with life itself—someone who didn't seem like they could possibly have diverse hobbies. Honestly, Park Soobin didn't want to distance himself from Yoon Seo. His feelings for Yoon Seo went beyond simple interest or goodwill as one person to another.
Park Soobin, ignoring the meeting entirely, asked Kwon Jihan.
"Then, Hunter Kwon Jihan, do you think Yoon Seo is the most likely candidate?"
Kwon Jihan answered lightly, as though he had been asked a simple math problem.
"Yeah, he's the most worth fighting."
"...."
What should we do about Yoon Seo? He's caught the attention of a dangerous person.
It seemed necessary to inform the guild leader and remind Kwon Jihan again that they were looking for Seo Chaeyoon, not a sparring opponent.
***
'Ugh…'
Yoon Seo shivered at a sudden chill.
He had too much to do—more precisely, there were too many wills to fulfill—so he was even busier after work. He had to exercise, draw, play the piano, bake cookies, and make sure to have dinner.
Today's chosen task was coloring. It was his 991st children's coloring book. Since the total number of wills was 1,000, there weren't many left. He should have felt excited, but today, he couldn't focus.
After coloring one page, he couldn't concentrate anymore. Deciding to watch a drama instead, he sat in front of the TV, but the screen didn't hold his attention either.
Yoon Seo eventually gave up everything and lay down on the sofa, stretching out long.
Kwon Jihan's system profile was the most fearsome one Yoon Seo had ever seen.
[Encyclopedia of People: Kwon Jihan, 22 years old, Male
Rank: S
(Using the item 'Dark Shroud', all attack abilities are enhanced)
(With the skill
Traits: Predator, Evolver, The Chosen One.
(Protected by the God of Life)
(Protected by the God of Destruction)
(Protected by the Gaia)
(Gaia is watching Kwon Jihan)
Skills:
Special Skills:
(The skill
(The skill
※Gaia Skill:
※Other information is unavailable.]
'This can't be the entire profile I've seen.'
When viewing an opponent's profile through