Chapter 80
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Clan (3)
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Hunters were mostly academy graduates.
There were people like Lee Yeon-hee who jumped straight into the field, but that was rare.
Among this year's graduates, two stood out as the most promising prospects.
And by some coincidence, both had applied to Si-woo's clan.
Han So-young handed him the application file of the male applicant.
"You're really going to reject this guy? He's super famous. He awakened straight to C-rank. And his ability is element manipulation."
The photo on the application showed a guy with thick eyebrows. They couldn't openly say they were only recruiting women, so men could apply too.
They'd subtly favored women in the wording here and there.
But this thick-eyebrowed Song-chung-i was the only guy who actually applied.
"Yeah, reject him. I can tell just by looking at him."
"Hmm...? What's the problem?"
To Han So-young, he looked like a top graduate from the academy.
"You can tell he won't listen. Rejected."
"...Got it. Should I send the rejection notice?"
"Yeah. Just text him something generic."
She shot him a slight side-eye.
"You're so obvious about it..."
"There's practical reasons for only picking women too."
"Ha...! Is that so?"
"Hear me out. They get stronger hanging around me, right?"
Han So-young's face flushed a bit as she averted her gaze.
"Y-yeah, sure."
"So the early members who've been with me a lot would be even stronger, yeah?"
"Huh...?"
"But with a guy? He wouldn't get stronger and would stay the same. Then he'd get overtaken by the newbies who join later."
"True, but..."
"One or two is fine, but if half are guys, it becomes a real problem. The hierarchy won't settle properly. And you can't keep weaklings above everyone forever."
"Fine, fine, I get it. I'll send the rejection."
S-rank Hunter and leader of the Ta Baek Sword Sect. His one and only daughter.
Seo Ga-yoon.
She'd just finished washing up and stretched lazily. Her thin tank top revealed a cute glimpse of her navel.
She grabbed her smartphone and flopped onto the bed.
The faint shampoo scent tickled her nose, putting her in a great mood. Lying there, she kicked her legs playfully.
This was her favorite time right now.
After grueling training and a shower, rolling around in bed.
"Mm..."
The fluffy bed drew out a little hum. As she fiddled with her phone in comfort, her face scrunched up.
'Ugh... what is this.'
Seo Ga-yoon spam-pressed the dislike button on articles about her father.
'Sword noble house, my ass!'
The swordsmanship passed down through generations in the Ta Baek Sword Sect was total garbage. Utterly impractical.
The thrusting motion was the first problem. Why the hell spin the sword in the air like you're posing?
She'd been training with swords since childhood, so she'd come to love them despite everything.
'But this is too much.'
Her father was strong purely because of his high awakening rank. He pretended to slash monsters with his sword, but really crushed them with telekinesis.
If their tough hides didn't cut, he'd grab and rip them apart with telekinesis.
Immobilizing foes with heavy sword mysteries? Nah, just pin them with telekinesis and smash down.
It was an open secret among those in the know.
'Sigh... so embarrassing.'
As she scrolled, one article caught her eye.
[Talking about Salvation Clan's Choi Si-woo.]
If not for the sword in the thumbnail, she wouldn't have glanced at it.
'Hmm... F-rank to C in less than a month...?'
Ridiculous growth speed. Unbelievable.
She frowned and checked the comments. Mostly jealousy, bus-rider accusations.
Her eyes went to one with tons of likes.
'MySiwoo-nim? What kind of username is that.'
The comment was a link to a video platform.
[Speedman Gets Schooled?]
Speedman, the infamous troll NewTuber. She hated his aggressive clickbait.
'Awakened less than a month and runs into Speedman? This guy's unlucky.'
Probably the opposite of the title—Speedman beating him down one-sidedly. That's how he always pulled views.
'Hmm... might as well watch.'
Curiosity won out. She knew better but clicked anyway. And damn, it really was a schooling.
'Huh...?'
A high-end brand knife snapped like a twig. Followed by utter domination.
She glued her eyes to the screen.
"Ah..."
A gasp escaped. It was different. Nothing like the swordplay her father had drilled into her for life.
No wasted movements whatsoever.
Pure practical swordsmanship for killing. Indescribable thrill from the concise strikes.
After rewatching a dozen times, she decided.
"D-Dad!! I'm leaving home!!"
The interview room.
Seo Ga-yoon had argued fiercely with her father to get here.
Practically running away, but she didn't care. Learning proper swordsmanship mattered more.
A woman who seemed haughty and cool spoke up.
"So, recovery and buffs. Double ability user, right? D-rank?"
"Yes!"
She answered as brightly as possible. That's what everyone from Ta Baek Sword Sect loved. But Vice Clan Leader Han So-young's brow furrowed slightly.
'D-did I mess up...?'
Han So-young let out a tiny sigh and pondered. Then she whispered to Si-woo beside her.
"We should verify... You really gonna do it?"
Si-woo nodded and rolled up his sleeve. He drew his finger across his forearm. Skin split, blood flowed—just from that.
"Please demonstrate your ability."
"O-okay!"
Whirr.
Her mana flew from afar, healing the wound perfectly, no scar. Then the buff.
Despite the huge rank gap with Si-woo, the body enhancement hit just right. Not fixed value, but percentage-based.
'Better than expected.'
Remote heals with proportional buffs, not fixed. Top-tier buffer and healer talent.
This level would be coveted by mega-guilds. No idea why she'd join a small clan.
So he asked directly.
"Impressive. But big guilds must be lining up for you. Why our clan?"
Even her family sect was practically a clan. All sharing martial arts.
"Well..."
Unlike her bold demeanor so far, Seo Ga-yoon looked shy. Glancing at the floor and Si-woo alternately, she shot to her feet.
"A-accept me as your disciple!"
She prostrated flat, forehead to the floor.
The room went quiet—not like yesterday's pebble drop, but heavier.
"Your swordsmanship blew me away. Please!"
Si-woo and Han So-young exchanged involuntary glances. Yesterday's offhand words were real.
"Hold on."
"Y-yes?"
Seo Ga-yoon lifted her head awkwardly, clasping her hands and looking up pleadingly.
"You want to learn my swordsmanship?"
His wasn't anything special. Just battle-honed techniques from a lifetime hunter slaying monsters till death.
No systematic style.
"That's fine! That's the sword I want—the killing blade for pure combat! The cold assassin's edge!"
His head throbbed a bit. Master-disciple bonds existed modernly, but not like wuxia.
More like contracts. Her kowtowing felt like facing a novel weirdo.
He tapped the table thoughtfully. She spoke in a trembling voice.
"B-but you're not asking?"
"About what?"
"Uh, Master. Be casual with me."
"...I'll go casual if I accept you."
She peeked nervously and continued.
"D-did I get permission from Dad...?"
"Aren't you an adult, Miss Seo? Why would I ask that?"
"Ah...!"
His casual reply touched her deeply. She knelt properly, eyes sparkling up at him.
"Let me be your disciple!"
He sized up the pleading Seo Ga-yoon.
Her glossy black hair tied back tightly. Lean build without an ounce of fat, yet ample chest and hips.
Tightly bound to not hinder fighting, but he'd seen enough to gauge.
'At least H-cup...!'
One look at the size, and all doubts vanished. No reason to turn down a pretty girl begging like this.
He'd decide what and how much to teach based on her aptitude.
Today was dorm assignment and clan house orientation before officially joining.
Lee Yeon-hee eyed her fellow new hires.
Six total.
She'd heard there was a healer, but one with a sword at her waist stood out. Covered head to toe in luxury—not a single non-brand item.
One hand on the hilt, eyes closed, standing poised.
It made her shrink. Unlike her, born into wealth.
'Ugh... is that rift-made fabric...?'
Casual clothes from rift materials.
Not just her—everyone but Lee Yeon-hee seemed amazing.
A chatty colleague beside her dried up her mouth.
"Sigh... my heat only comes from my body. Gotta get up close with monsters."
"I-is that so..."
"What about you, Yeon-hee?"
The dreaded moment. She squeezed her eyes shut. Couldn't hide from rift-mates.
"Uh, rock summon."
"Whoa! Ranged? Lucky! Let's be friends."
She couldn't admit it was fist-sized rocks at palm range.
"R-ranged, but short range... and low power..."
"Range is what matters. It'll grow with rank."
"Y-yeah, but..."
Lee Yeon-hee felt the sky spinning. Had to clear it up fast.
'Ah... wanna go home.'
She missed pre-mom-ill college days. Not rich, but easy—just study.
As she plotted how to confess her pebble power, her ears perked. Her favorite topic.
"My old clan’s dorms were... hopeless. Straight-up chicken coops."
"Huh? What were they like?"
"Six to a room. Nuff said."
Shocking. Job ad photos showed nice officetels.
"R-really? But the pics..."
"Sis, you believed that? Sis, right? I'm 21."
"Ah, yeah. I'm 23."
The colleague was hyper, motor-mouth nonstop.
"Call me casual. Those pics are all lies. No clan gives everyone that."
"R-really...?"
"If you're picky, rent your own. Oh, she's here."
Waiting in the lobby, the clan leader's secretary arrived—the orientation guide.
But her outfit was weird.
"H-high schooler...?"
School uniform couldn't be standard. Worse if it was.
Her colleague's words rang true now. Dread filled her at the dorms.
She didn't know her salary was 500k either.