Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Finals (3)
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Clunk!
"Oh my!"
"What the?"
The cheerleaders, who had been preparing for the post-finals closing ceremony performance, jumped in fright and let out screams as the door suddenly burst open. The man in the black suit and sunglasses flinched at the sight of the women beyond the door, then bowed his head deeply.
"Sorry about that."
Across the corridor in the other direction, a similar scene was unfolding. The stout, middle-aged men in suits were VIPs scheduled to attend the closing ceremony after today's finals event. They too stopped mid-conversation as a door flew open, pursing their lips slightly as they eyed the suited man.
"Sorry about that."
The repeated suspicious visits were bound to draw security. Whispers of unease spreading through the arena were enough to summon the guards. The security team, their blue cap brims pulled low, approached the yakuza group with tense faces.
"Hey there. Who are you looking for?"
Noboru, leading the yakuza pack with a toothpick clamped firmly between his teeth, turned around. His brown sunglasses and long mustache made him look downright intimidating. The flashy floral suit and the suited men trailing him like ducklings betrayed his line of work.
The guard locked eyes with Noboru, his face rigid with tension. It felt like he'd stepped into the set of a thriller as an extra. Any second now, these guys might pull knives and go berserk. Noboru tilted his head slightly, eyeing the guards before breaking into a grin.
"Oh! Lucky us. Been wanderin' around gettin' all lost. Chasin' after this fella we wanna meet, totally mixed up. Where's he at? Lee Hyun-woo. Hyun-woo sunbaenim. Wanna get his autograph."
Lee Hyun-woo was the S-Rank Hunter who had joined two S-Rankers from Diamond Club as a special judge for today's finals. He held the record as Korea's youngest S-Rank Hunter, and with his handsome looks and friendly personality, he enjoyed idol-level popularity.
The guards relaxed a fraction at Noboru's fanboy excuse, though irritation at the commotion crept in. Careful not to provoke the yakuza outright, they spoke in sharp tones.
"Aish, seriously... Get outta here! This ain't a place for random civilians wanderin' around! Out! Now!"
Noboru shrugged and turned away. At the same time, he fired off a text to Ichie.
[No empty rooms up north. Guards here, can't search]
Ichie showed the garbled message to Seong Ha-yeon. They were in the western sector. Seong smirked at Noboru's attempt at intel—riddled with typos, it was barely readable. She said,
"Looks like we just need to check around here?"
A text pinged in from Kim Yu-jeong next.
[Doesn't seem to be here. All the event staff lounges are on this side—way too crowded.]
Seong checked it and nodded.
"He's gotta be around here. Let's dig deeper; bound to turn up."
"Right."
Ichie nodded. Out of habit, Seong reached for a cigarette but shoved the pack back in her pocket. The two stood at the center of a cross-shaped corridor. It was deserted, no foot traffic. Seong scanned the map again, picking out unchecked rooms. There was a secluded hallway they hadn't hit—one tucked in a corner on the diagram.
"Was there a corridor here?"
"According to the map, right there."
Ichie pointed. Seong scowled.
"That's just a wall."
It was just a wall. But on second thought, that hallway on the map looked a bit shorter than the arena layout suggested. Seong narrowed her eyes and double-checked. At a spot where the path should fork both ways, there was a wall.
"Hold up."
Seong crept closer to the corridor. The nearer she got, the more convinced she was it was solid wall. But something felt off. She rapped the surface. A hollow thud echoed back. Seong smirked and slammed her foot into it hard.
Bang!
The dirt wall masquerading as gym plaster crumbled in a cascade. Dust billowed onto the floor. Startled by the noise, a staffer whirled toward Seong and Ichie. He said,
"Huh? What's goin' on over there?"
Ichie played it casual.
"Dirt fell from the ceiling. Gotta clear this mess."
"Ah, shit—from the ceiling? We're screwed... Uh, yeah, got it. I'll call it in right now. Any clothes get dirty or anything?"
"Nah. Clean it up quick. Thanks."
The staffer mumbled a half-hearted acknowledgment, phone already to his ear as he bolted. Seong gave Ichie an awkward look.
"Handled that real ladylike."
"Mess with civilians, and it gets messy."
"...Huh. Fair."
Seong hopped over the dirt pile and peered down the hallway. A fork lay ahead. She let out a dry chuckle. Blocking it off like this meant no random passersby. Blocking access meant hiding something inside.
"What the hell?"
A voice echoed from down the hall. Seong grinned and turned that way. A Diamond Club Hunter stood there, phone in hand, face twisted in a scowl. He narrowed his eyes in anger.
"Hey! You two! What the fuck?"
"Don't know me?"
Seong pointed at herself. The Diamond Club Hunter sneered at first, then clocked her hair color and finally remembered who she was.
"What? Black Dragon Clan Hunter? Why the hell are you here? What is this? This is our Diamond Club event room right now. We blocked the entrance on purpose to keep people out, and you bust through? We're filing a complaint over this!"
Seong feigned panic, whirling around in a fluster before slipping a hand into her inner jacket pocket.
"Ah, no misunderstanding! Our clan leader asked me to deliver a gift."
"Gift?"
The Diamond Club Hunter eased up a bit at "gift," his fist unclenching slightly. Seong whipped a punch from her pocket straight into his nose bridge.
"Gahk!"
He clutched his nose and crumpled. Seong followed with a kick to his temple. He reflexively raised an arm to block, then lunged into a tackle. Seong called to Ichie,
"Hey! Check inside!"
"Like hell!"
The Hunter reached out, and the dirt pile at the hall's end surged toward them like a swarm of ants. Seong grabbed his hand and channeled her power into it.
"Aaaargh!"
The man who'd tried to activate his ability screamed and rolled on the floor. The airborne dirt splashed messily to the ground like spilled water. In that moment, Seong had a fleeting thought: What if we open the door and there's no buffs or anything? What if we're just harassing innocent people?
Our faces are known—ain't this gonna bite us in the ass?
Ichie hesitated too, glancing at Seong. Seong shot a look at the guy shaking out his arm, then yelled,
"Screw it! Open it and see! Worst case, we bail!"
"Got it!"
Ichie shouted back and yanked the door open.
"The Craypas of youth is a UFO~ We're all together AY AY OH!"
"AY AY OHHH!"
And there was Kim Chun-bae, belly jiggling as he danced wildly. Shirtless, he swung his penlights like Wolverine's claws in a frenzy. In front of him, a blonde twintail beauty belted out the tune with peppy moves. Ichie froze at the sight.
Seong's face hardened. So did the Hunter's. Ichie blinked rapidly and said,
"I've seen that girl somewhere."
As her voice rang through the room, Misaki's eyes sparkled, and she whipped her gaze around. It was like facing a beast in the dead of night—Ichie flinched involuntarily. Misaki stopped dancing and turned, while Chun-bae, drenched in sweat, lagged a beat behind.
"I-Ichigaya-ssi? Th-this is, uh, y'see...! Celebration show! Practicin' in case Ju-seong wins—y'know, for the victory song!"
He blurted it out in panic. Ichie didn't hesitate, hand darting to her sword hilt. Meanwhile, a brutal fistfight raged behind them. The Hunter bellowed,
"You fuckin' punks! Why the thuggery? Why?! Your side's bitch lost, so you come stir shit?!"
"Came to fuck with your shitty win, asshole. Call the guards if you're so tough! Want me to? Guards! GUAAAAARDS!"
"Shut it!"
The spilled dirt whipped up sharp and hurled at Seong. She rolled aside, then pounced cat-quick, slamming a tackle into the Hunter's gut. The two tangled and tumbled toward the dirt pile in a heap.
"Eek! Violence is bad! Everyone! Evil Evils are attacking our performance hall right now! What do we do to beat the Evils?!"
Chun-bae glanced between Ichie and Misaki, squeezed his eyes shut, and yelled,
"Sorry, Ichigaya-ssi! Love Love Bullet!"
"Yes! With love! Love Love Bullet!"
Sparkling stardust gathered at her fingertips. Beautiful rainbow grains coalesced into a single mass, morphing into a sleek revolver. Misaki aimed it straight at Ichie and declared,
"We all love you! Lovely Shot!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
At the gunfire, Ichie flipped the nearest table for cover. Food from atop it rained down. Pink bullets left dull dents on the metal table before fizzling out. Ichie drew her sword, scanning for an opening.