094. Hunter Management Bureau (3)
094. Hunter Management Bureau (3)
An illusion formed on Ji So-yeon's retinas.
A familiar star shape she saw all the time.
What kind of potential could that boy—Baek Seol-hee's disciple, acknowledged by Cheonhwa and Fighting Dog, two embodiments of talent—possibly hold?
It would be a lie to say she wasn't looking forward to it.
But the star of Jin Yu-ha that she actually saw was...
A single one.
That was the boy's limit.
*
'Impossible... How in the world...'
She bit her lip at that utterly insignificant single star.
Having only one star meant, after all, that this boy's limit was just slightly better than an ordinary person's.
If nothing had suddenly gone wrong with her eyes, that had to be the case.
But what was going on here?
That single star was scattering a light more radiant than any other star she had ever seen.
A halo of light that encroached past 4-Star and into the brightness of 5-Star, as if the limit caging it posed no obstacle whatsoever.
Unfamiliar as it was, she wasn't ignorant of what this meant.
Transcendence.
A state in which one surpasses one's own limits and potential expands.
Ji So-yeon knew exactly one person around her who had achieved Transcendence.
A woman who had crossed the wall of her innate limit, 4-Star, and surpassed even 5-Star.
When she turned her head to the side, she saw a black-haired woman whose expression had hardened gravely, as if something had happened to her disciple.
Baek Seol-hee.
A monstrous colleague who was born with the high star rank of 4-Star, yet shattered even that limit.
What grueling training she had endured to cross that 4-Star wall—Ji So-yeon, who had watched from right beside her, knew better than anyone.
She had achieved it by thinking only of the sword every moment, by swinging her sword while sparing even her sleeping hours.
But even Baek Seol-hee had started from 4-Star.
A point reached by someone already more than qualified to be called a genius, enduring the pointed fingers of others calling her a madwoman.
But what of this boy's case?
His innate birth was a mere single star.
Yet its light already outshone other 4-Stars.
'She took a monster even greater than herself as a disciple...'
Goosebumps prickled all over her body.
Gulp.
Ji So-yeon swallowed.
'Terrifying...'
But at the same time, an even greater surge of compassion rose within her.
Because she couldn't even begin to guess what a child who had just entered the academy must have done to shatter his own limits and forcibly expand his potential this much.
He must have lived a daily life for which the word hell was insufficient.
'He wears an ordinary expression now, but can he really be all right inside...?'
What on earth was the reason this child had no choice but to become such a monster?
Just then, a sliver of doubt sprouted within Ji So-yeon.
"...Seol-hee."
She lowered her voice and called her colleague beside her.
"What is it? Is there truly something wrong?"
Baek Seol-hee wore a worried expression.
Seeing her usually expressionless colleague make such a varied face made her wonder if maybe... but...
"...Hey, how long has it been since you started training him? You didn't force training on a child who knew nothing from a young age, did you?"
If so, Ji So-yeon would feel considerable disappointment in her respected colleague for the first time.
Because that would ultimately mean she'd forced training tantamount to torture on a child who knew nothing.
Thankfully, Baek Seol-hee shook her head.
"No. It's been about two months since we met. We didn't know each other before he came to the academy."
"Yes, that's right. I consider myself very fortunate to have met Instructor Baek Seol-hee after coming to the academy."
That was Baek Seol-hee and Jin Yu-ha speaking.
Sincerity could be read in both their eyes.
If so, that was a relief.
"...I see."
"Why do you ask?"
"No, just... I was thinking it was admirable and astonishing that he'd become this strong as a boy."
At that, Baek Seol-hee smiled with visible relief, as if thinking, 'Ah, is that all it was...'
'Right. Seol-hee isn't the sort of person to lie about something like this.'
Looking at Baek Seol-hee, Ji So-yeon shelved her suspicion and nodded.
In that case, it meant this boy had voluntarily continued murderous training even before meeting Baek Seol-hee.
"...Is there some kind of problem with me?"
Jin Yu-ha asked her, his expression having turned equally grave in response.
"...No, no. First, I'd like to ask a few questions. Would that be all right?"
"Yes, go ahead."
"...How is Seol-hee's training? Can you handle it? Isn't it tough?"
"It is tough. Even so, she teaches me kindly and properly, by the book, and I'm impressed every time I receive training."
Not terror, but kindness...?
Not some unorthodox method, but by the book...?
Not horror, but impressed...?
Birds of a feather really do flock together, it seemed.
Ji So-yeon knew all too well what had become of the colleagues who tried to imitate Baek Seol-hee's training, chasing her overwhelmingly dominant results. Knowing exactly how they had fled, her poker face nearly cracked for a moment.
'...Yeah. This is a realm of madness beyond my judgment.'
"...What do your parents do?"
Next, Ji So-yeon questioned the boy's home environment.
Because normal parents wouldn't have forced such training.
"...What do your parents do?"
"They've both passed away."
Ah.
"The Gate Era. I see."
With that single phrase, the boy's past seemed to paint itself before her eyes.
Unable to contain the surging emotion within her, Ji So-yeon abruptly pulled Jin Yu-ha into a tight embrace.
"...Later. You must come find me later. It's not possible right now, but I'm searching for a way to break limits. When I find it, I'll be able to help you."
The hands embracing Jin Yu-ha trembled faintly.
* * *
'No, wait, why is this woman suddenly acting like this?'
Ji So-yeon had suddenly asked after my parents, then abruptly pulled me into a hug.
She was even shedding tears, bawling.
I was bewildered.
Anyone watching would think this was really weird.
"I-it's okay. Let go... please let go..."
Pat, pat. I tapped her shoulders to stop her.
At that, Ji So-yeon's face, drawn into a deep pout, pulled back.
Streeeetch—
A clear liquid stretched from her retreating face.
The exact positions of her eyes, nose, and mouth were stamped onto my clothes.
'Tsk. Tears, snot, and even drool on my clothes...'
Still, I couldn't let it show that I was bothered.
I was flustered because I didn't know why she was acting like this, but it wasn't a bad situation.
'She seems to be misunderstanding something... For now, it's best to just let it be.'
Ji So-yeon.
This woman was quite an important figure.
'Someone who suddenly appears in a few events, raises a character's star rank, and then leaves.'
Meeting this person in the Velvetsra game was a matter of luck.
Of course, there were events where she appeared for certain, but apart from those, there was no way to meet her except by chance encounter.
So I was genuinely surprised when I first saw her, because I never expected to see someone like that in the Hunter Management Bureau.
'A chance to escape being a 1-Star loser!'
Of course, she didn't seem ready yet, but Instructor Baek Seol-hee really had introduced me to a valuable connection.
'But, I knew her to be a pretty cynical person originally...?'
From the way she hugged me, her patting gestures were full of nothing but gentleness.
Judging just by her current appearance, you couldn't find even the first letter of 'cynical.'
If you went by MBTI, she'd be 99% F.
'But then, why does someone like this end up living as a wanderer?'
Just then, a current ran through my head.
'...Don't tell me, she gets booted out too when the Hunter Management Bureau Director gets demoted?'
It was a pretty plausible guess.
Seeing them now, Kim Ji-won and Ji So-yeon were on quite close terms.
'And the reason she turned cold and cynical... was it because Kim Ji-won got kicked out?'
If that were the case, then if I could prevent Kim Ji-won's demotion, I might not have to go looking for this woman later—she might be able to raise my star rank right here in the Hunter Management Bureau.
'But if I tell her now, I'll probably just burn through all the affection I've painstakingly built up and attract unwanted suspicion...'
Just then, Baek Seol-hee's hardened face came into view beside me.
If it's the Instructor, maybe she could find something out?
Judging by her reactions today, she seemed to be someone with considerable influence over both the academy and the Hunter Management Bureau.
"What is the meaning of this..."
At that moment, Baek Seol-hee spoke in an icy voice, glaring at Ji So-yeon.
"...H-huh?"
Ji So-yeon rolled her eyes around, looking flustered.
"I asked why you're suddenly embracing someone else's disciple and crying."
"Uh, u-uh um...? I-I didn't mean anything by it! I-I just thought it was ad-admirable! Thinking about how much he must have suffered to become this strong as a boy!"
"You embraced my disciple because you found him admirable...?"
Baek Seol-hee's eyes gleamed dangerously.
At that, cold sweat trickling down, Ji So-yeon naturally stepped backward.
"Instructor! Wait a moment!"
At that, I interjected to stop the Instructor.
"I'm really not bothered by it!"
"...Hm?"
"Perhaps... didn't this person see something special in me?"
I turned my head and winked with one eye.
At that, Ji So-yeon caught my signal and frantically nodded her head.
"Ri-right! I'll ex-explain it to you now!"