Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Kim Ju-seong and Kim Chun-bae (1)
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"Hunters are entertainment now too."
Kim Ju-seong first met him just before the semester started. After finishing his Awakener registration, the man showed up in a suit and spouted that odd line while flashing a bright white grin. The guy, who had started working as a used car salesman at twenty and coincidentally awakened to become a Hunter, loved rambling on about his life experiences in society.
"In my eyes, you've got talent. Real talent."
He was also the type who insisted Kim Ju-seong had talent. But it wasn't Hunter talent he meant. It was something loftier than some vague "potential to succeed as a Hunter."
The talent he spoke of was closer to what people said about celebrities. He criticized the world for failing to recognize this kind of talent and kept trying to drag Kim Ju-seong into his rants about it.
"See, back in the day, people had no clue what a 'star' even was these days. That's why folks like us need to stay ahead of trends to make it big. Those stuffy old-school Hunters? They're all stuck on that."
The man cleared his throat with a fake cough, then mimicked the voice of an old-timer in some weird tone.
"'Hunters oughta be good at raiding Gates. What's the point of going on TV?' 'You should hit A-rank first, then think about broadcasting or whatever.' But that's the old era gone now. Elites? Who cares. It's all about the 'everyman' vibe, something ordinary. That's the trend."
Kim Ju-seong listened quietly. The promise of turning him into a star was an irresistible temptation. With his parents gone since he was young and raised by his grandmother, success meant fulfilling his filial duty for him.
He gave Kim Ju-seong, now committed to his side, one mission: team up with a new student named Kim Chun-bae at the academy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hyung, but why Chun-bae of all people?"
One day, Kim Ju-seong asked the man. He wasn't his mentor. His actual mentor from Diamond Club was some apathetic guy who only did the bare minimum. So Kim Ju-seong relied more on this man instead.
Why Chun-bae specifically? Why him over other buffers—filthy, smelly, socially inept, and ugly to boot? As he brought it up, Kim Chun-bae had gone off to buy drinks from the convenience store at the man's request. Watching Chun-bae waddle away, the man said,
"Guys like that are easy to handle, and among the new remote buffers, he's the most useful. Look at him. Kid's sprinting happily just for change."
"Remote buffer, ah, yeah... so he can shine big in Gates, right?"
The man chuckled at Kim Ju-seong's innocent idea. He had star potential but couldn't see the big picture yet. Patting Ju-seong's shoulder boastfully, he said,
"Hey, Ju-seong. Who gives a damn about shining in Gates these days?"
Kim Ju-seong narrowed his eyes. Leaning in closer, the man whispered,
"If we're doing this, we go all-in from the Rookie King tournament, fuck it."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The plan went like this: Kim Ju-seong wins the Rookie King tournament with overwhelming dominance. In the interview, he mentions his late parents, sheds some tears, shouts "I love you, Grandma!" and builds a filial son image.
"That's the first buildup. The heartbreaking story of Hunter Kim Ju-seong, Rookie King champ! Then our guild sends a big TV and gifts to your place, sponsors you, makes more news. We'll snag interviews from your academy friends saying what a kind, good guy you are."
"Then... I can become a star?"
He shook his head firmly and said,
"No way that's enough. There's that group training camp next year, right? We'll pull another stunt there. An incident happens, you heroically save a few kids. Boom again, but the real payoff comes next. Finish the curriculum, graduate—we take you in, more news, then you start hitting broadcasts proper. Diamond Club's got a V-tube channel, yeah? We'll film a special on you. Build that image, then you know the rest."
It was a long-term plan. A slow burn to stardom. Kim Ju-seong found it plausible, but he felt uneasy too. Cautiously, he asked,
"But can I even win? Saw some kids with solid skills this time."
"That's why we prepped Chun-bae, kid. Watch. I'll sweet-talk him into buffing you."
Chun-bae was approaching from afar, sweating buckets as he ran. The man cut off mid-sentence, grinned wide, and waved. Chun-bae gave an awkward smile and handed over the drinks. Taking one, the man said,
"Hey, Chun-bae, good work. Hot as hell out. Let's have a drink."
"Ah, sure..."
Chun-bae nodded. The man patted his shoulder and asked,
"Hey, Ju-seong was raving about how amazing your ability is."
"Ah, sure..."
"What was it exactly? Summon an idol or something to dance?"
"Ah, yeah... not an idol, though... It's Hanakawa Misaki-chan, my fave from Flower Dream."
The man widened his eyes in mock surprise at Kim Chun-bae's explanation.
"Oh yeah? Flower Dream? Character from an anime?"
"Ah, yes."
"Impressive. So what can she do?"
"She can heal others or make them stronger."
At that, the man sipping his drink pursed his lips, furrowed his brow, and slowly nodded. He set the drink down, clapped lightly a few times, patted Chun-bae's back, and said,
"Whoa, killer ability! Our Chun-bae's got the goods! Right, Ju-seong?"
Kim Ju-seong nodded at the man's words. Leaning close to Kim Chun-bae, the man lowered his voice.
"Hey, help us out. We've got a job—if it goes smooth, cash for you too. Upfront 5 mil, plus 10 more on success."
Chun-bae's eyes wavered.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A few days later, the three gathered at the academy training ground: Kim Chun-bae, Kim Ju-seong, and the Diamond Club man. He held a device that looked like a wristwatch, but the face was pitch black and empty. He explained,
"This is the watch-type detector used in Rookie King and other matches or duels. Super sensitive to enhancement or healing auras—detects position and alarms if anyone's using that kind."
Kim Chun-bae gulped. This was his biggest act of rebellion ever. Too late to back out now—he'd blown all 5 million on Flower Dream gacha. Broke as a joke, but no regrets after pulling SSR Rare [Schoolgirl Hanakawa Misaki].
The man said,
"Three ways: You use it from way far off, pinpoint on Ju-seong. Or pre-buff before going in. Or..."
He pocketed the detector again and added,
"Bribe the ref."
Looking back at the two, he continued,
"Bribed one already. Diamond Club connection. Told him to turn off the detector for his games. Buff Ju-seong wild then. What's your buff condition again?"
"Yes, hold this Misaki-chan badge and shout 'Moe Kyun!' once."
The more you heard, the more your head hurt. The man sighed deeply and asked,
"...You set the condition yourself?"
Chun-bae blurted desperately,
"N-no! In Flower Dream anime, when she shares energy with fallen battlefield soldiers, fans hand out badges, everyone shouts Moe Kyun! together. Then the kids get this... Lovely Point system, and with that..."
"Got it, got it. So just hold the badge?"
"Yes. Pocket's fine."
The Misaki-chan badge featured Hanakawa Misaki winking. Kim Ju-seong stared at it, conflicted. The man patted his shoulder.
"Ju-seong. Don't wanna win?"
"No. I'll do it."
He pocketed the badge with a resolute face and muttered softly,
"Moe Kyun."
"Ah, gotta do the pose too."
Chun-bae demonstrated the pose himself. One leg lifted cutely, both index fingers out like twin pistols, with a wink.
"Hahaha! Fuckin' insane. Losing my mind."
The man burst out laughing at Chun-bae's pose. He laughed even harder watching Kim Ju-seong awkwardly mimic it. A guy who could pass for a fitness mag cover model doing that move—what a sight.
After laughing his fill, the man said,
"Listen up. Bribed ref's only in two matches: the final and you vs. Ichigaya Ichie. Got it?"
"That Japanese girl?"
"Yeah. Bracket says you'll beat the others. You got lucky draws—she's trouble."
"Her ability that good?"
The man shook his head.
"Rumor is she was a yakuza low-level gang boss before awakening."