Chapter 27
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Killing Intent
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Lee Ru-ri scattered poison needles here and there to pinpoint Sevijatu's position.
"If even one needle sticks, its location will be revealed. So I'll spread them out as much as possible."
She didn't forget to cast heals on the hunters who had been attacked by Sevijatu to restore their HP.
[S ― Sevijatu (Poisoned State): Current Favorability <0>]
[S ― Sevijatu (Poisoned State): Current Favorability <0>]
"Wow, this is driving me nuts. Seung-woo ssi."
"Yes. Ru-ri ssi, are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
Having heard Lee Ru-ri's response, Han Seung-woo asked everyone.
"Is everyone okay?"
Watching him, Lee Ru-ri hesitated for a moment before whispering cautiously to Han Seung-woo.
"Um... don't freak out. Right now, there are two Sevijatus."
"What?"
Dudududu, dududududu, dududu!
Dududududu! Dudududududu!
"Now!"
Lee Ru-ri shouted and hurled Extinction at the first charging Sevijatu.
But as a monster boasting incredible speed, one Sevijatu easily dodged the attack and lunged straight at Kwon Dong-nyeon.
Kwon Dong-nyeon gathered his strength in an instant, raising his shield to block the Sevijatu.
Yet the Sevijatu slammed right into Kwon Dong-nyeon and his shield.
―Hiiiing!
Bam!
Kwon Dong-nyeon was flung into the air before crashing to the ground.
The healers rushed to him in unison, casting heals.
"That insane speed turns into raw power, enough to push back a tank. I need to find a way to slow down Sevijatu."
Lee Ru-ri was lost in thought. Han Seung-woo was just as troubled.
He was an assassin build with fast speed himself, but he couldn't even track Sevijatu with his eyes.
The gap in stats.
He berated himself for growing this weak after coasting at A-rank without effort, when a massive boom erupted from the direction where Lee Ru-ri had been standing.
Bam!
Startled by the sound, he turned to see she had vanished.
"Ru-ri ssi!"
That was when.
The two Sevijatus—as she had said—charged aggressively toward the source of the noise.
"There are two Sevijatus! Everyone, be careful!"
And soon after.
Lee Ru-ri popped back into existence somewhere with a bang and began bombarding the Sevijatus with Extinction.
Distracted by the initial noise, the Sevijatus reeked of singed fur from her flames and assumed attack stances as if seeking revenge.
"Ru-ri ssi! It's dangerous!"
"Seung-woo ssi! Stay there! Everyone, don't move from the tank until I say!"
Lee Ru-ri used Stealth to draw all eyes to herself.
At first, it was to buy time until the injured hunters stabilized.
But the Sevijatus' favorability had already risen from her attacks and heals.
So to keep others from noticing they weren't attacking her anymore, she had no choice but to put on a visible show.
The other hunters watched her Stealth performance in a daze.
Han Seung-woo was surprised like them at first, but figured her position could pull off even more.
Meanwhile, Han Ji-na observed Lee Ru-ri's actions with particularly sharp eyes.
Han Seung-woo pushed his surprise at Lee Ru-ri aside for the moment.
What bothered him most right now was Han Ji-na.
She hadn't provided any DPS support at all, just fixated on Lee Ru-ri.
"That woman's suspicious."
The hunters whose HP had been heavily depleted by Sevijatu's attacks gradually stabilized, and thanks to Lee Ru-ri buying time, they had a chance to regroup.
"We owe Ru-ri ssi a huge debt. Time to make up for it."
With those words, Kwon Dong-nyeon cast his blessing on the hunters.
Feeling Kwon Dong-nyeon's blessing course through her, Lee Ru-ri, who had been working on Sevijatu's favorability, shifted back to the group.
"Leave the rest to us, won't you?"
"Of course!"
Lee Ru-ri beamed innocently in response to Kwon Dong-nyeon's words.
Han Seung-woo watched the two warmly.
"Unless it's a dire moment, hold back on attacks. For favorability."
The fact there were two Sevijatus.
And thanks to Lee Ru-ri's Stealth show, the hunters had figured out the monsters' attack patterns and speed. They smoothly picked off moments when the Sevijatus, blinded like drakes, acted dumb, taking down one by one.
One Sevijatu was dealt with without issue, and the other started taking more hits from Han Seung-woo's sharp attacks exploiting gaps.
"Just a bit more and it's over."
Lee Ru-ri monitored the steadily rising favorability.
Meanwhile, Kwon Dong-nyeon charged with his shield maximizing defense, slamming into Sevijatu. As it flinched and its stance crumbled against the shield, Han Seung-woo swiftly struck its crown.
In that opening, Jang Ji-eon's sword aura slashed fiercely at Sevijatu's neck. The second Sevijatu was dispatched in an instant without even a scream.
Kwon Dong-nyeon shouted.
"Success!"
"Woooaaah!"
The other hunters cheered in joy.
[Sevijatu's favorability has increased by 20,000. Current favorability: 102,000]
[Sevijatu's favorability is full.]
[(S) Hidden Skill Activation (Success): 1 condition completed. (Remaining conditions ― Total 3)]
[(SS) Hidden Skill Activation (Failure): Conditions not met.]
That was when, in the midst of everyone's joy over conquering Sevijatu, Lee Ru-ri collapsed limply.
"Ru-ri ssi!"
And Han Ji-na bolted toward the gate entrance at top speed.
"Kwon teacher-nim! Take care of Ru-ri ssi!"
Entrusting Lee Ru-ri to Kwon Dong-nyeon, Han Seung-woo chased after Han Ji-na at tremendous speed.
Kwon Dong-nyeon scooped up the bleeding Lee Ru-ri.
As the healers kept pouring heals into her, alarms blared chaotically inside the gate.
It signaled the hidden boss's emergence now that the trick was gone.
The buoyant hope of success chilled instantly.
Somber over the severe injury to D-rank hunter Ru-ri—who had shone so brightly—they hurriedly exited the gate.
"Still no luck finding her?"
"Sorry. We're still searching."
Han Seung-woo scolded Choi Si-jin with a hardened face.
"Seung-woo, Ru-ri ssi will be fine. Don't worry too much."
Yang Jeong-hyun soothed Han Seung-woo as she cautiously opened the door to Lee Ru-ri's hospital room.
Choi Si-jin watched the two enter, then headed back to HQ with a heavy heart.
Lee Ru-ri's pale face.
Despite rushing her, the doctor said she'd lost too much blood in that instant and nearly died. Han Seung-woo felt deep despair.
Self-reproach for fixating on Han Ji-na yet failing to stop her.
Self-reproach for letting Han Ji-na slip away helplessly.
He wanted to find Han Ji-na right now and repay the pain she inflicted on Lee Ru-ri tenfold.
But Han Ji-na—who he'd recommended joining—and senior hunter Im Nak-hyeon, whom she'd allied with, had both vanished.
"Han Ji-na, re-position judgment, that was Nak-hyeon's doing?"
"Will stuff like this... keep happening?"
Yang Jeong-hyun stroked Lee Ru-ri's face as she spoke.
"No, twice is too much. We need to pay proper attention. Ru-ri ssi will wake up soon."
The two silently gazed at the unconscious Lee Ru-ri.
"Director!"
Choi Si-jin burst into the room excitedly from HQ.
"What is it."
"Han Ji-na, that crazy bitch! She's Im Ju-yang!"
"What?"
"Im Nak-hyeon's little sister. Ha!"
"Location pinned?"
"Thanks to constant pressure, we nabbed her tail. Contacted I-jun right away; cops are mobilizing big time. Let's go."
"Teacher-nim."
"Go. I'll guard here. Catch her. I wanna beat her senseless too."
"We'll be back."
Han Seung-woo and Choi Si-jin hurriedly left the room.
By the time they arrived where Im Nak-hyeon and Im Ju-yang were hiding, police had already sealed the perimeter.
The cops, having let Im Ju-yang slip multiple times, were furious.
Spotting Han Seung-woo and Choi Si-jin, Im I-jun rushed over with a greeting.
"Director Han, long time no see. Those two are holed up in that building now."
"I'll go in."
"That'd be a huge help. Being hunters, regular cops can't..."
"Choi Si-jin. Any senior hunters from guild available for support here?"
"Two, excluding those soloing mid gates."
"Stand by."
The intimidating presence of senior hunter Han Seung-woo hit hard. Regular cops shrank under his aura.
Meanwhile, Choi Si-jin quickly messaged the two B-ranks with the location.
The tense police watched Han Seung-woo enter the building.
"Please go berserk. Let me kill them."
As Han Seung-woo stepped inside, Im Nak-hyeon attacked instantly.
"Coming alone, A-rank trash?"
Han Seung-woo assumed a defensive stance and retreated, prompting Im Nak-hyeon to smirk.
Im Nak-hyeon, recently promoted to S-rank assassin.
Everyone assumed he'd join his guild, but for some reason, he expressed intent to follow Yang Jeong-hyun to Light Guild.
It was surprising, but they accepted the senior hunter's request— their mistake.
"In the end, just Cheon Ye-jong's lackey."
Han Seung-woo counterattacked.
At the same time, Im Ju-yang—having infiltrated as Han Ji-na and attacked Lee Ru-ri—slipped between them, stabbing at Han Seung-woo with a sharp dagger.
Seeing Im Ju-yang ignited Han Seung-woo's rage.
And in that instant, he unleashed tremendous killing intent.
Overwhelmed momentarily by Han Seung-woo's killing intent, Im Ju-yang took his follow-up attacks and was hurled at blinding speed into the wall.
Seeing Im Ju-yang vomit blood, Im Nak-hyeon bellowed and unleashed a barrage on Han Seung-woo.
The clash of two assassins exploiting weaknesses.
The building crumbled in spots from their fight.
Those watching outside grimaced knowingly without needing to see inside.
"Cough... Oppa... it hurts..."
Im Ju-yang weakly called to Im Nak-hyeon, distorting his face.
"I'll kill you!"
"Says who."
Han Seung-woo unleashed killing intent again, mercilessly striking Im Nak-hyeon's openings.
As they traded blows, Im Ju-yang recovered and wedged between them once more. Han Seung-woo crushed her jaw with a knuckle without hesitation.
Im Nak-hyeon halted his attack to support Im Ju-yang as she retreated, spewing blood from her shattered jaw.
"You two won't leave alive today."
Han Seung-woo didn't relent on the demoralized pair.
How much time passed.
"Aaaargh!"
His emotional fury peaked, mind going hazy.
Im Nak-hyeon's scream overlapped with Lee Ru-ri's smiling face.
Pausing, he looked down: the siblings were bloody messes on the brink of death.
Im Nak-hyeon gasping with both legs twisted backward, Im Ju-yang unconscious with a smashed jaw.
Han Seung-woo pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the splattered blood, and walked out.
Spotting him, police entered with waiting paramedics.
They shook their heads at the siblings' wretched state and rushed them to the hospital.
"Director, good work."
The standby hunters greeted Han Seung-woo and left.
Choi Si-jin eyed him carefully.
"Director, you okay?"
"Ru-ri ssi."
"Still unconscious, but unstable brainwaves normalized."
"To the hospital."
"Yes. Rest your eyes in the back."
Choi Si-jin sped toward the hospital.