Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Shortcut to S-Rank
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"Sounds like a fighting tournament name."
I asked if it was anything like UFC.
First time hearing the name HFC.
"It's hunters fighting each other, so yeah, fighting tournament fits. It's an unofficial event."
Almost nothing's known—who's hosting it, when and where it happens, what you get for entering.
Civilians have no clue, obviously. It's like an urban legend that only circulates among hunters.
"Even though you could die in the fights, almost everyone who gets an invite shows up. Of course, they only approach hunters who can't easily say no."
People who live that close to death will gladly take the risk if the payoff's right.
But what could you even gain from fighting other hunters?
No EXP, so no leveling up or rank boosts.
Reading my expression, Oh Yeonseo cleared up my curiosity.
"The reason hunters accept the invites is the grand prize."
"What's the prize?"
"A level-up artifact."
Ah.
So that thing actually exists.
"It guarantees at least one rank up, and depending on your accumulated levels and EXP, even two are possible. What artifact could be better for a hunter?"
An A-Rank gets a sure shot at S-Rank. A B-Rank could skip A entirely and go straight to S, depending on levels—a true miracle.
For hunters who'd bet their lives on levels and ranks, could there be anything better?
"Where do they even get that artifact?"
"They say it's made by combining a few artifacts, but only the organizers know the method. The success rate's abysmal, so they only hold the tournament when they've got a prize ready. Looks like they succeeded this year."
She shared more details about the event, but it went in one ear and out the other.
My head was full of thoughts about the level-up artifact.
If I build up my levels enough...
With enough EXP plus the prize, I could jump from B straight to S in one go.
Meaning sex with Nayeong—which might take years—could happen by year's end.
"Rank-up prizes mean no appeal for S-Ranks. That's why it's mostly A- and B-Ranks who join—ones whose levels have stalled. Despite all the nasty rumors, for hunters in tough spots, it's their one shot."
Even criminal hunters get conditional amnesty if they hit S-Rank.
All privileges restored, social status skyrockets to the elite—they grab wealth and fame.
S-Ranks get treated like royalty in society.
"What kind of nasty rumors?"
"It's a tournament format, and word is you get treated rough if you lose. Sometimes you end up as a plaything for VIP sponsors."
She mentioned a few more, all bad news for participants.
Hard to believe hunters still signed up for that.
"How do you know so much about it, Yeonseo?"
Didn't seem like something an S-Rank like Oh Yeonseo would care about.
S-Ranks were under special oversight—no way they could pull off something this deviant.
"There are rumors the Gate Cult's behind it, so I looked into it. They say it's for the amusement of power players tied to the cult. Makes me wonder why a cult would reach that far. No matter how I think about it, they're not just some simple cult or crime ring."
Since the cult came up, I told her about what happened with Nayeong.
My enemy was her partner's enemy too.
Hearing about fighting foes would be good indirect experience for her.
But Oh Yeonseo latched onto something else.
"Really? You can really use spirit powers outside gates?"
I'd told her about crushing the Gangbuk faction, and now her eyes sparkled as she asked.
'Can I show my abilities to Yeonseo?'
I asked Gnome.
｢Tell her to check the garden.｣
"Yeonseo, Gnome says check the garden."
At the living room's floor-to-ceiling windows, the garden floor rippled.
Earth rose on its own, merging with decorative stones to form human-sized golems.
Golems popped up all over the garden, tilling the soil.
"Says it'll make the trees and grass grow better."
She was too busy staring at the working golems to hear me.
Frustrated, I went over and grabbed her hand.
"Ah, sorry. I got lost in it."
"If it's that amazing, wanna try it yourself?"
I transferred Undine's pattern to the back of her hand.
Sylph had said earlier it was possible outside gates too.
Her eyes went wide as saucers.
"Not even a gate... how...?"
"There's a pond over there."
I pointed to the pond on one side while she stared blankly at the pattern on her hand, flustered.
She stared dumbly at first, then got it and nodded.
"Undine, please."
｢Only 'cause she asked.｣
Undine grumbled but pulled pond water into the air.
It shot up like a fountain, twisting into shapes before bursting over trees and grass.
Like a summer water festival at a theme park.
Oh Yeonseo, delighted like a kid, ran straight into the garden.
She pulled water from the pond, popping it in the air.
The quiet garden turned into a full-on water party in seconds.
After a while, she came back inside, soaked to the skin.
No bra, no nipple bands this time—her nipples were fully visible.
She ran up grinning and hugged me. The soft squish against me was pure bliss.
"Thank you, Woojin. First time using spirit powers this fun."
She'd only ever used them against monsters in gates, so yeah, this was fresh.
Probably no one else used great spirit powers like this.
"I can't tell you how glad I am to be your partner, Woojin. Being able to do this outside gates... it's like a dream."
Using spirit powers to crush the Gangbuk crew had felt like being a superhuman.
The handicap of dropping to normal outside gates was gone.
She'd need the pattern from me, so she'd rely on me more.
"Call all four great spirits for me. Then, like Nayeong, I'll give you my first time."
Pardon?
I'd never told Oh Yeonseo about my deal with Nayeong for S-Rank.
"How'd you know?"
"How could I not? You're so desperate for it. You said everything but penetration, right? That's the only reward you can offer when you hit the goal. That's why you're rushing your rank."
Damn, her brain really turns fast.
Gotta watch myself around her from now on.
"Nayeong knows what happens when she loses her virginity, but she still made that promise... so you've got a plan, right? Tell me too."
I was genuinely impressed she'd pieced that much together.
Oh Yeonseo would be useful for way more than just sex.
Found a shortcut to ranking up, but there's a problem.
"How do you even enter that thing?"
I had no idea how to join HFC.
"They say promoters scout entrants, but I don't know how to meet them. I've got friends digging into the cult—I'll ask around."
"You sure the cult's running it?"
"Who else could pull off an underground fight like that under the Hunter Agency's nose? And only they could combine artifacts for a level-up item. No workshop could manage it."
If the cult's confirmed, I could find a way faster than her.
Through Yang Taesik, I could connect to their Gangbuk branch.
The branch chief would know how to enter for sure.
"Next time, meet at a hotel. I've got a suite only I can book. There, I'll definitely... suck you off."
Only I could score a promise like that from a top actress.
Before meeting Yang Taesik, I should loop in Nayeong, so I headed to her studio apartment.
She opened the door with a serious face and dragged me to the bed.
"Strip."
"Suddenly?"
"No backtalk—strip!"
While I dropped my pants, her skilled hands yanked off my shirt.
Naked, she shoved me onto the bed and straddled me.
Her favorite 69 position.
Slurp, smack... slrrp... schlop... haa♡
She sucked my cock like she meant to rip it out by the root.
Slurping up and down, gnawing the shaft to lube it.
Overwriting any traces of others with her own.
Guessing I'd gotten sucked by Yeonseo, she was extra desperate today.
I grabbed her ass, spreading the cheeks, and her sticky juices dripped onto my face.
The thick, lewd scent overwhelmed me—I lost my mind.
She was going all out, so I matched her pace with my tongue.
Brushing her petals downward to poke her clit, her hips bucked.
A few strokes along her now-familiar folds, and she melted.
Reacting to my tongue, she added rhythm to her sucking.
"Hng, hnggg... hngggg...!!"
Her hot moans leaking around my cock sounded especially pitiful today.
"What happened? Why so urgent?"
I fondled her heaving chest as she lay on the bed, catching her breath.
"You were fine earlier, but seeing you walk in suddenly pissed me off, so I sucked you. Knew you'd gotten blown by Yeonseo."
"It's not a competition—don't do that next time. I haven't gotten sucked yet."
"What? Then what took you so long?"
"I got sucked by Yeonseo's pussy. Tasted like it was coated in honey—fucking delicious."
"You bastard, you said the same to me."
"Yours is great too—that's why I said it. I don't play favorites when getting sucked, so don't overreact."
Black pussy, white pussy—tasty is tasty.
I twisted a famous quote into pussy pragmatism and got smacked on the back.
"One more word of that shit, and I'll bite it off next blowjob."
Still gonna keep sucking, though.
She sucked me off so good—time to share the good news.