Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Settling Old Scores (3)
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Hunter ranks are absolute.
This statement is wrong.
Of course, if we're talking about ordinary hunters, it's a valid proposition. But there's always exceptions and variables in this world.
Promising prospects are a prime example. Even at [F-] rank, they wield mana that's supposed to be the domain of D-rank hunters, shattering rank limitations with their unique abilities and the elevated stats gained from elixirs.
Considering that even those promising prospects felt defeat in front of me, any ordinary rank gap was no big deal to me.
Of course, my current power was far too overpowered for an [F-] rank, but so what?
Clang!!
"Urk! You're filthy strong."
Still, a four-rank difference was huge. E-rank hunter wasn't just a title—the boss was strong. The overwhelming destructive power from his high-rank Thrust stat harmonizing with the force from his massive body made my arms tremble as I blocked it.
"If this is all you've got to catch me with, give up. No matter how amazing you are, there's a time and rank gap between us you can't cross!!"
The boss, Lee Woo-sik, unleashed all his rage the moment combat began, his eyes rolling back like a berserker as he swung his massive fists.
The silver lining amid the misfortune was that my heightened Infinite stat allowed me to predict and dodge his attacks to some extent.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
I dodged every strike, but each time a fist shot out, the air split with explosive cracks, sending chills down my spine and fear creeping up my body.
It felt like standing before Ra, who'd lost all reason again.
'Pure stats-wise, I'm outmatched.'
He was weaker than Ra, the strongest being I'd faced, but purely in terms of raw strength, they were comparable—enough to call them equals.
"How long are you gonna keep scurrying like a rat?! Didn't you say you'd take me down in 30 minutes?!"
"You damn pig bastard! Now it begins!"
After the first clash, I'd dodged all his attacks and grasped his patterns, so I wrapped my sword in solar mana and charged forward.
"Come at me! I'll make you pay tenfold for what you did!"
"Bullshit! Who's the one who started the trash?!"
The boss's right fist pulled back over his shoulder, signaling it was about to launch like a cannonball. At the same time, my Infinite stat predicted the trajectory and etched the path into my mind.
A talent utterly incomparable in combat. Predicting enemy attacks in advance—what a gift.
'Aiming for my right shoulder!'
Once you read the attack path, the key was executing the optimal dodge with the best movement.
"Die!"
The cannonball fist rocketed toward my shoulder, bursting the air with incredible speed.
'Can't even let it graze!'
I halted my left leg mid-stride, pivoted on my right foot, and spun my body 180 degrees to evade the punch targeting my shoulder.
The fist slammed into empty air. The price for that miss was steep.
I targeted the boss's exposed upper body as he lunged forward. Just like the instinctive move I'd pulled on Lee Ji-hyeong before, I swept the leg supporting his bulky frame, toppling his balance.
"Wha... what?"
Thrust—the force pushing an object in one direction. The root of the boss's immense power wasn't raw strength amplification, but acceleration added to it, making it faster and stronger.
Conversely, even with his balance lost like this, Thrust shoved that fist forward.
Unable to rein in his own power, the boss flew briefly through the air in a Superman pose before crashing to the floor spread-eagled.
I didn't miss the golden opportunity. I unwound my spin and slashed both his Achilles tendons with the blazing Frostfire Sword infused with solar mana.
Slash!
As if repaying every misfortune he'd inflicted on me. Both special effects of the Frostfire Sword triggered...
Crackle! Whoosh!
His left foot froze solid, while his right erupted in flames.
"Gaaahhh!!!"
Screaming from the agony in his feet, he glared at me murderously and crawled across the floor, swinging his fist anyway.
But the scales had tipped. With both legs useless, the Fist Master was no longer a threat.
"Die! Die! Die!"
"I'll make you suffer more than you ever did to me."
I targeted the boss's back as he flailed his fists at me in terrified frenzy, slashing with my sword.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
No fatal blows. Just enough cuts to prolong his agony.
I stowed the Frostfire Sword in my inventory. No sense risking an instant kill from its effects. Though even if he died, it wouldn't be a huge issue—I had solid backing, and he was a death-sentence criminal anyway.
But I had no intention of letting him off that easy.
My sword dug into flesh, carved it, sliced it, stabbed it, pierced it.
"Urgh... uh!"
Where the boss had fallen was now a barely recognizable heap.
This level of torture should've had blood pooling and overflowing by now, but my skill at cauterizing every wound with solar mana kept him from dying.
Too excruciating to even speak, he convulsed now and then with half-rolled-back eyes.
"Yeah, after tormenting my sister and me like that, take this revenge sweetly. Then rot in a cell in that limbo between life and death until you finally croak. That's the best payback I can give you."
Shin Juha, their loyal slave, was gone now. I'd successfully severed one major roadblock in my life.
I turned my emotionless gaze from the boss and left the top floor, leaving the writhing mess behind.
"Everyone freeze! This place is now under Inspection Department jurisdic—?!"
"Captain, looks like it's already been cleaned up."
"What? Who the hell...?"
Right on cue, the execution squad arrived. I gave them a rough rundown of the situation and exited the building.
"Guess I win the bet?"
"...I concede. You're more of a monster—and crueler—than I thought."
I tossed the body cam I'd worn to the director, who'd arrived and monitored everything via tablet, declaring my bet victory.
"...Shall I take you home?"
"No. Not wrapped up yet. One more stop. Director, pick out some quests for me. I'll check 'em soon."
I brushed past the bowing director and headed off somewhere.
My destination was the hospital where my sister had once been admitted—a renowned spot in the area with top healers on staff.
"Time to tie it all up neat and clean, right to the end?"
I strode in without hesitation. Moaning patients filled my view first, but I pushed past, eyes fixed on the upper floors.
"Where ya at~? Where could it be?"
After a long search, I spotted a familiar name on a four-bed room door and flung it open without a second thought.
"Fuck! Once this arm heals, I'm gonna kill that Shin Juha bastard!"
"Don't worry, boss! We'll help!"
"Damn it, why'd I trip at the worst time?!"
"Lucky awakening, beat us by luck, and now this slave punk looks down on us?!"
"Boss, heard his little sister's a total babe. Shall we have some fun with her?"
The door burst open to rage-fueled rants assaulting my ears. Their eyes turned to me, bulging in shock.
"Yeah, you wanted to see me, huh? I wanted to see you too. Was gonna end it clean, but couldn't leave you out. Especially Kim Moo-sik's face—I needed one last look. Won't see it after today anyway."
They stared like I'd gone insane, then the thugs grabbed bats and closed in threateningly.
At the center, my old classmate Kim Moo-sik—still thinking he was above me—patted my shoulder with smug confidence.
"Juha, my friend Juha. You've lost it, huh? Walking right in here. What, revenge again? In a hospital?"
Pfft!
I let out a mocking laugh and grabbed Kim Moo-sik's hand on my shoulder.
Crack!
With minimal force, bones snapped, and he screamed. I spoke calmly, infusing my voice with power.
"Revenge? We're past that level now. This is just... tidying up worn-out bad blood? Clearing my lingering feelings for you lot. Like this."
Slash!
The Frostfire Sword, drawn from inventory, severed his arm, solar mana cauterizing the stump.
"Gaaahhh!!!"
"What were you gonna do to my sister?"
"You crazy fuck! How dare you...!"
Slash!
"You kicked me plenty with that leg."
"You with that arm."
"You mocked me and my sister with that tongue."
Each swing of my sword drew screams of torment, tears streaming in agony.
"Yeah, just tidying up. My resolve to never cross paths again."
Never live as the weak again. To protect my sister, myself, and avenge our parents.
"So rot in pain forever with those wounds, you trash."
Splatter!
I sliced off Kim Moo-sik's repulsive dick last, then left the room.
"Nice to see you again, Mr. Shin Juha. Saw you recently too. I'm Park Seo-ha, Team 5 Leader of the Inspection Department. Looks like... you fed us the intel on this group via a colleague. Mind coming with me for a statement?"
As if waiting, the Inspection Department agents outside revealed themselves. Ordering her subordinates to arrest the suspects, the team leader approached and greeted me warmly.
Despite sensing curiosity, wariness, anger, and more in her eyes, I nodded—it was an investigation I had to do anyway.
"Then come with us. We can get you cleaned up with a shower and clothes. That blood..."
"Seo-hwa Group will send a lawyer."
"Ah! Not as a suspect! Just as a witness—we need your testimony and proof of victimhood."
"...But you look at me like a criminal."
Park Seo-ha smiled coyly, dodging my last remark. I hadn't pressed for an answer anyway, so I followed her.
Soon enough, I found myself back in the Association's investigation room.