Day 5 - The Ogre's End and the Union's Shadow
Was the ogre picking up on that unique urine scent from bitches in heat? It let out even wilder roars nonstop, and the blood gushing from its mouth in heaving spurts just kept increasing. Crunch!!! Realizing this shit wasn't going to end anytime soon, the ogre ground its teeth and lumbered toward me with a staggering gait, but like hell I'd just stand there and watch. I swiftly unleashed my movement technique to widen the gap, scaled a tree, and looked down at the bastard. It stared up at me with distant eyes, like What the fuck is this punk?
Right then, I felt a damp sensation against my chest and glanced down—Park Jisu had flipped her eyes back from the vibrations of my movement and the impact of jumping onto the tree, drooling all over herself in my arms. Ogre or Jisu, both were total pains in the ass right now. I wanted nothing more than to finish off the critically wounded ogre on the spot, but for Jisu's sake, I reined myself in and slowly backed away.
I've gotta catch that ad where the wife dresses up cute in a school uniform, right? 'And then she does it at home in the uniform. Heh heh.' Smacking my lips in regret, I turned around. The ogre seemed to realize chasing me in its current state was impossible and plopped down right there as a sign of truce. But those bloodshot eyes, veins bulging red, screamed it was gonna kill me someday.
"Fucking punk..."
I flashed it a sleazy grin regardless and kicked off, turning away. "Hnggh..."
"Ugh... sorry about that."
I scratched my head briefly at the result of accidentally compressing our promised two hours into an ogre sideshow. Despite her messy face, Jisu looked blissfully happy, so I nodded. 'Well, she seems satisfied, so that's good.'
Day 5 of being stranded in the gate. Park Jisu approached me, beaming as she fiddled with her rifle.
"Hmhm~ But seriously, why's the ogre just sitting there?"
Her memory of the escape must've been wiped by that overwhelming orgasm, because she tilted her head at the ogre hunkered down in position, visible through the scope.
"Dunno? Probably waiting for us."
"Hng... yeah, makes sense."
Jisu nodded and went back to prepping her rifle. Her lips stayed curved up, clearly excited for the first shot soon. I flashed her a grin and stood to stretch.
'Tough bastard...'
Since that day, the ogre had stayed knelt in place, focused solely on recovery—that was the situation. It pissed me off seeing it shamelessly dip into the food supplies we'd stockpiled. Sure, vital stuff was all in my Inventory, but still, some monster freeloading off my shit...?
'Well, today's the end of that.'
True to an Awakener's body, Jisu had bounced back fast from passing out. With sex relieving her stress and plenty of rest from fainting, she was in peak condition. I soothed her and pitched executing the ogre takedown plan right away. She'd enjoyed our cozy time together plenty, but worried about her family outside the gate, she nodded immediately.
"So, once I get there, you just unload at max power, right?"
"Yeah. Don't worry about me—a tanky A-rank hunter can handle it. Go all out, life or death."
"Got it!"
"Whew... alright, time to turn on the body cams and get serious."
"Okie dokie."
As soon as I spoke, we activated the body cams we'd prepped for today. Whirr. With a small startup hum, they came online. Jisu nodded at hers, grabbed the sniper rifle on the high ground, and took position.
"Target: ogre. Range: 2,200 meters. Ready to fire."
"Heh, striking a pose."
Old habits from the Association—she looked dead serious despite her looks. I smirked mischievously at her, ignoring the cams, and shot her a teasing glance. Jisu's lips twitched, brows furrowing, but she sighed and peered through the scope without retort.
"Just go already."
Her public image had gotten all twisted from past incidents, so she was playing it cool to rehab it this time, brushing off my jab. I'd meant it as a tension-breaker joke. I chuckled, loosened my legs, and turned.
"Heading out?"
"Yeah. Be careful."
"Don't worry—just blast away full throttle."
"Gotcha."
Leaving her soft reply behind, I drew up my mana. 'Gotta show 'em what I can do when it counts.'
What was my nickname right now? Fuck King. Sure, a third-year Academy student hitting A-rank was huge, but keeping that dumbass title because of our flirty skits? Total bullshit.
'Wonder what they'll call me after this...?'
With resolve for an image makeover, I circulated my mana. It surged from my dantian, flowed through my body, hit the meridians in my lower half, and exploded from Yongcheon.
Whoosh!!!
My body suddenly felt feather-light, propelled by mana into the Flying Sky Shadowless Technique. Gliding down the mountains like skiing, only wind and rustling leaves whispered in my ears. I dashed through the forest without a sound or trace.
It was as natural as a shadow cast by the sun. Wild animals I passed didn't even notice me—rabbits mating, deer herds shitting—too busy with their own shit. The body cam captured it all, nature raw and real.
Fighting was one thing, but recording my strengths like this would skyrocket my value and status for sure.
'Martial artists' chronic weaknesses are mobility and reach.'
A little gift for those basement keyboard warriors always shitting on martial artists as primitives? Smirking, I poured more mana into my legs.
"Yes, Principal. Understood."
Instructor Park Jongcheol politely replied to the curt voice on his phone and hung up. Just a boss? Fine. But this was one of Korea's three S-rank hunters—untouchable authority, even for an A-rank like him. He sighed, closing his eyes.
Day 5 since cadets Park Jisu and Kang San got trapped inside the gate. Gazing at it from the hasty ops HQ near Daejeon, relief mixed with dread—he'd been in charge when it happened, drawing all the flak. Brass always hunted scapegoats in crises. Lucky the crime scene was live-streamed...
"That fucking punk..."
Speaking of crime scenes, Cha Eun-woo popped into his head, making his blood boil despite not lifting a direct hand. How does someone with that talent pull such idiotic shit? Throwing away his future like trash—unfathomable.
Head in hands over the hopeless mess, he debated cracking his hidden whiskey when—knock knock. Frantic raps on his temp barracks door. He straightened his clothes.
"Come in."
"Yes, Instructor."
The Association's A-rank hunter he'd been waiting for entered with a murmur. Park poured him coffee from the barracks setup.
"Ah, thanks."
"What'd you find?"
No time for sips—the hunter's grave face turned understanding, bitter smile forming as he recalled public backlash and global opinions.
"They've got backing."
This guy had been grilling Cha Eun-woo for info. Park's eyes sharpened at the ironclad puppetmaster reveal.
"Who?"
"Union."
"...?"
"The ones you're thinking of."
"Wait, that... exercise group of 1st Awakeners?"
"Yes."
Expecting some mega-crime syndicate, Park blinked in shock at the nobody reveal.
"No way— what power do they have...?"
Union was basically a 1st Awakener alumni club, whining about inequality with 2nd Awakening hunters. Park demanded answers, baffled. The hunter sighed after muttering.
"Truth is, they're not as weak as you think."
"Still just 1st Awakeners, though?"
"How many of them do you suppose there are?"
About a thousand 1st Awakenings yearly on average. Minus unreported hermits and rare 2nd Awakeners, not much difference.
"What, maybe a thousand a year tops?"
The hunter sipped coffee, mulling the number.
"Right. And every year, a thousand enlist."
What was he getting at? Park stared silently.
"Decades of forced enlistments because they couldn't 2nd Awaken. Thousands yearly, by force."
"...!"
"And as superior 1st Awakeners over regular grunts, their ranks aren't negligible."
Park's eyes trembled as it clicked.
"So, basically: tens of thousands of resentful misfits, shoved into military life year after year, now wearing soldier masks in key gov positions."
"Other countries or International Association...?"
"No clue. They're soldiers now—armies are closed off even domestically, let alone globally."
"..."
"Other nations treat troops better, so probably not as bad as Korea."
"Higher-ups know?"
The hunter nodded bitterly.
"Yeah. The three S-ranks keep it quiet, but it'll blow someday. This mess is just a rehearsal."
Park had joined the Academy to coast under an S-rank in his later years, but now the honey pots were looted, hives everywhere. He sighed repeatedly, scratching his head.
"Got it. If brass knows... Association handling this?"
"Yes. Keep it contained—no good if it spreads. Just manage foreign liaisons for cleanup."
"Understood."
The hunter briefed more and left. "Whew..."
His head throbbed from the info dump. Students causing this much grief.
'One of 'em's barely a student anymore?'
Recalling wriggling worm Cha Eun-woo and Union, Park headed out for the meeting with foreign reps. The glowing gate over Daejeon caught his eye naturally.
'San, Jisu— just come out alive. Please.'
If two promising B-ranks died to Union's scheme? Grim visions flickered. Rubbing his temples, he pressed on. All he could do now was believe and wait.