??-Rank Seong Ye-han
A few days had passed since the third meeting room negotiation with Lee Yun. Seong Ye-han had boasted to her that he would definitely climb to A-rank without a shred of doubt, and that conviction hadn't changed. Still, preparation for the evaluation was undeniably necessary. While he'd gained tremendous power by inheriting Shin Ye-hwa's stats through Heroine Hunter, honestly speaking, he was a total rookie who'd never seen real combat outside of academy training. Even if he planned to bulldoze everything with overwhelming specs—the so-called "stat-check win"—he needed at least the basics.
Shin Ye-hwa had appraised his current strength as comparable to S-rank levels. But since it was only comparable, any A-rank hunter could probably counter it somehow. Purely on physical specs, he could probably snag an A-rank right now if tested. The issue was that A-rank hunters weren't defined solely by physical prowess—except in some freak cases.
Seong Ye-han knew his physical abilities would rise even further, and once he fully inherited all of Shin Ye-hwa's stats, he'd become that freak case. But learning how to properly wield his body as a hunter wouldn't hurt, so he'd asked her for sparring sessions. What about the company? He'd quit on the spot right after the deal with Lee Yun. From same-day leave notice to resignation the next day—it was the kind of move that deserved a torrent of abuse, and he'd probably eaten plenty. But what could he do? Something more important than his original plan to preserve a bit of reputation had come up.
Anyway, if awakeners wanted to spar, they needed a proper venue. After the Gate incident and the emergence of awakeners, facilities for them naturally sprang up—and the first were combat training centers. Sparring rooms made of special concrete reinforced with mana flow. They cost a fortune per use, but as long as awakeners existed, demand would never dry up.
And so, the two faced off. They'd already sparred several rounds, both slick with clear beads of sweat, the man's breathing especially ragged. Tension hung thick in the air, undercut by the woman's casual poise.
Whoosh—his halberd thrust out at arrowhead speed. The blade wasn't sharpened, but it carried the full weight of a proper weapon; even an awakener would be crippled if hit squarely, not just bruised. Clang! Sparks flew with a sharp metallic ring. Great momentum, but the blade pitifully ricocheted off her sword without achieving its goal.
He should've followed up with the halberd's axe blade, but her parry was too fast and forceful—he couldn't react. She closed the gap in an instant. This time, he shoved his shield forward. Its broad, sturdy face should've repelled any approach, but with unbelievable agility and flexibility, she dropped low, evading the bash range.
Taat! Her sword whipped up from below like a rising flame. He couldn't retract his extended arm in time; he raised the shield from underneath, but it exposed his upper body's weak spot massively. Strictly speaking, just hitting his arm would've ended it in her victory—but toppling his stance revealed her nasty streak... or so Seong Ye-han thought as he braced for the incoming shock.
Thud. Her fist rocketed into the opening like lightning. Pow! "Guh!" A body blow, like a boxer's gut punch, rocked his frame. How many downs was this...? He couldn't remember. His legs gave out naturally, and her shadow overlapped him as he crumpled.
His physical stats outclassed hers on paper, but she treated the difference like a joke, pounding him like pork cutlet meat. Shin Ye-hwa looked down at him with a smug grin. Her triumphant face pissed him off, but he'd hold it in—he was the loser right now. As humiliating as it was, he had to admit it: Seong Ye-han wasn't used to superhuman fights beyond human limits. Acceleration and stops defying common sense, exploiting shifts in stance and lapses in focus—it was too much for him, fresh off a spec-up.
Shin Ye-hwa said he was improving, but to him, who got thrashed daily, it felt like lip service. Would she even bother with flattery, given her personality? Logically, her words were probably true—but the heart doesn't always follow the head.
Thinking back, subduing her in a rage after their first sex had been a fluke of stacked luck. "Can't you go a bit easier...?" "Our trash. Didn't you say you're fucked if you don't hit A-rank?" "Not fucked exactly..." Her teasing tone irked him. Listening, he cursed his past self from days ago.
To meet Lee Yun's negotiation terms, getting help was smarter than going solo—and enlisting Shin Ye-hwa was a no-brainer. Who better for top-priority combat training than a former S-rank, current true S-rank? She'd accepted eagerly, making her seem even prettier for a moment. Unfortunately, the rose-tinted glasses shattered fast.
She'd gotten cocky after hearing his request. And for days, Seong Ye-han got beaten, beaten, and beaten some more. Just you wait. Wishing for the day he'd dominate her not just at night but in daylight too, he endured and endured.
After the spar, a short break. Shin Ye-hwa quenched her thirst with an ion drink, smiling contentedly. "Feels refreshing to move like this after so long." She plopped into a chair by the training room wall and chugged her prepared beverage. After a month holed up due to her rank drop scandal and abuse exposés, those sweat drops must've felt invigorating.
"I'm about to die here." Seong Ye-han sat beside her after tending his pain. She handed him her bottle straight from her lips. He gulped it down—the familiar sweet-sour-salty tang hit his tongue. He'd figured a former top hunter like her drank artisanal energy drinks from some celebrity maker, but nope—just a popular off-the-shelf one. And not because of her situation; she'd always liked this brand.
The cool liquid soothed his throat, easing the pain a bit. He hoped the break would end soon. Sparring helped immensely, but it left him battered head to toe. Hell, he'd rather hit the field and fight monsters right now. Sure, it was a greenhorn's gripe with no real combat experience—but it was his honest truth for the moment.
"Gotta gear up quick and go monster hunting..." "Hmhm~ I like this just fine." He grumbled softly; she sidled up slyly. Despite the sweat, she slipped her hand under his shirt for mischief now and then. He scooted away, putting distance between them. Such a succubus. If he got fired up in the sparring room, things would get messy in multiple ways. Their chemistry was too good—once started, it wouldn't end in one or two rounds.
He didn't hate sweaty post-sparring sex with the beauty who'd just trounced him; if anything, it intrigued him. But right now, training trumped sex. "Can't just keep sparring forever." "Yeah, real combat matters most." No one denied the need for live practice. Shin Ye-hwa knew it well, so despite her subtle regret, she said no more.
After the Lee Yun deal, Seong Ye-han sold off all the luxury goods and jewelry she'd brought. First reason: no space in his apartment. Second: prioritize gear for her, whatever the rush.
Quitting Eternal Guild, she'd ditched almost everything—including her gear. Even after demotion, she'd clung to her top-tier S-rank exclusive set. But S-rank gear wasn't buyable with personal funds alone, even for S-ranks. It required team support, so she couldn't take it post-desertion. Plus, the massive breach-of-contract penalty would've wiped her accounts anyway. She wasn't the type to hoard cash obsessively, so her savings were modest for an S-rank.
Sorting her haul took days, delaying his first real hunt against his original plan. He could've grabbed C-rank gear and soloed tomorrow, but Shin Ye-hwa vehemently opposed it. No way she'd send a "baby hunter" out alone into this harsh world... Gear wasn't strictly necessary anyway—A-rank awakeners treated most monsters like trash.
"Truth is, at our level, we could handle most monsters barehanded easy." "But if luck's bad, your tracks get exposed, and the media tears you apart." The world was vast yet narrow—hunting duo-style without gear? Who knew what fallout.
"Eh, don't care about that anymore." Shin Ye-hwa shrugged breezily. Seong Ye-han shot back, "I'm using it. No need to stir up trouble. It'll smooth your comeback later... Plus, bad luck hits an A-rank monster? Dangerous."
"Hmhm~ That's you worrying about me?" Pleased, she scooted her hip right back against his. As he reflexively pulled away, she snatched his arm. Smack—her soft lips brushed his cheek. "Thanks." A light kiss and her bright smile. Seong Ye-han averted his gaze from the vixen.