Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Finals (5)
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Two people were tangled up and fighting in the mud-covered corridor. The Diamond Club hunter grabbed Seong Ha-yeon's hand, which was yanking at his mouth like it was trying to rip it open, and yelled.
"You fucker! You think it's okay to pull this shit just 'cause you can't cheer? Huh? Fuck...! Fuck! We're all just tryin' to eat and make a living here!"
Seong Ha-yeon ground her teeth while pinned flat to the floor. The hunter's other hand was pressing down on her face. As he raised that hand, the scattered dirt around them began to clump together. The dirt hardened into a massive rock shape and rose above Seong Ha-yeon's head. She drew in a deep breath and blew it out toward the hunter.
White vapor, like dry ice steam, burst from her mouth.
"Uwaaaack!"
The startled hunter rolled off Seong Ha-yeon and tumbled across the floor. Frost had formed on his face. Clutching his stinging face, the hunter shouted.
"You little...!"
But before he could finish, Seong Ha-yeon sprang to her feet and charged. The hunter hadn't even spat out his full curse before slamming the floor. Dirt poured from the torn sack, forming a wall in front of him. Seong Ha-yeon kicked the sudden wall of mud and cursed. It was because dirt had gotten into her shoe, which always pissed her off.
"Argh, shit...!"
The mud that had grabbed Seong Ha-yeon's foot was squeezing tight. Ha-yeon reached out to freeze and shatter it, but the man clenched his teeth and flipped his hand first. The mud gripping her foot spun like a whirlwind.
Her body, caught by the foot, spun through the air and crashed to the floor. Dirt rained down on top of the fallen Seong Ha-yeon. She covered her head and spewed curses. But her voice was buried under the landslide and couldn't be heard. The man brushed the ice chunks off his face and spoke.
"Fuck, you old hag should've been suckin' dick somewhere, who the hell do you think you're messin' with? Huh? Was our guild that fuckin' hilarious?"
Whether his voice reached Seong Ha-yeon was questionable. The man finally hauled himself up and turned around. Right behind him, Misaki-chan was gleefully unloading her pistols, while Kim Chun-bae jiggled his belly as he cheered her on.
"Love love! Love love! Oh yeah!"
"Fuck, stop screwing around and cheer properly, you dumbass!"
The man flew into a rage at the sight and bellowed. Chun-bae, who had been gleefully cornering Ichie, looked awkward, hesitated, then spoke to Misaki again.
"Misaki-chan! Let's do the Moe-kyun Medley again!"
"Yes, Master! Moe-kyun Medley! Starting over from [Unknown Crayon]! One, two, three, four!"
Misaki-chan began dancing again. The man ripped off his jacket and tossed it aside. His white dress shirt was caked in mud and a total mess. Spitting curses, he walked toward Ichie. Ichie placed her hand on her knife hilt and glared at the man.
"Fuck, how the hell you gonna fix all this? Huh? Our boss and two S-ranks are comin' soon! For dinner and the event! How you gonna take responsibility for this shit?!"
Ichie didn't answer. Seong Ha-yeon reached out toward the dirt pinning her down. She couldn't forgive getting caught off guard like that. A chill swirled above her head. The dirt was slowly freezing over. The man, thinking he'd subdued Seong Ha-yeon, was fully focused on Ichie.
"Drop the knife, bitch. Unless you wanna get fucked up real bad."
Instead, Ichie drew her knife sharply and stared at the man. He glanced at the toppled tables and the floor covered in food scraps. Then at the sweat-soaked Chun-bae. Everything pissed him off. This scene wasn't befitting Diamond Club. He needed to clean it up fast. The woman in front of him seemed like she had half a brain, at least.
Ichie spoke.
"Cheating is bad."
The man let out a deep sigh and said.
"Kid, if you don't get the fuck out now, you're really gonna die. You know who we are? Diamond Club. Huh? Killin' an apprentice hunter like you who doesn't know her place is nothin'. Huh?"
Ichie carefully readjusted her grip on the knife. Misaki-chan glanced at Ichie and the man while singing. Chun-bae shouted.
"Misaki! Keep singing!"
"Yes! I'll keep singing! Next song! [Love is Nessho's Mystery!]"
The man rolled up his sleeves. If she wouldn't leave, he'd have to drag her out by force. And he needed to clean up this mess quick. The victory announcement would ring out any moment now.
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"Haha, does that even make sense? That last attack should've downed him for sure."
"Right? At times like this, the ref should use discretion to stop the match and call a judgment win, don't you think...?"
The two S-rankers from Diamond Club stroked their beards and chimed in with each other. Like master pansori singers exchanging breaths with an expert accompanist, they insisted the match should end right now with a judgment loss for Jeong Su-hyeon, all for his 'safety.' They had no interest in hearing Lee Hyun-woo's opinion. Lee Hyun-woo smiled brightly and joined their chatter.
"But he's fighting well, isn't he? Ending it with a judgment call here would be like pouring cold water on this boiling atmosphere."
As soon as Lee Hyun-woo offered his view, pitiful glances flew his way. The 63-year-old S-rank hunter was deeply displeased with the young man who had reached S-rank at such a tender age.
"Haha, does that make sense? He got clocked in the head! With that monstrous fist! Getting back up like that—if he's really fine, we should run a doping test!"
The other S-rank hunter nodded in agreement. Lee Hyun-woo asked.
"Doping test, huh? How about we pause the match for a bit and test both of them? Doping checks are standard procedure for both sides anyway. Just nod if you're in, and I'll pass the suggestion to the head ref right away."
"No need to drag it out and kill the flow like that. It's obvious nothing'll come up."
The S-rank hunter clammed up once Lee Hyun-woo pressed that far. Pretending they didn't want to ruin the match, they dropped the doping idea. They squinted at Lee Hyun-woo in clear displeasure, while he watched the fight with a beaming smile.
Kim Ju-seong blocked Jeong Su-hyeon's punch with a bewildered look. The punch carried a totally different, crushing weight than before. He thought this fight couldn't drag on. If Chun-bae got tired and the buffs cut out, he might actually lose.
Jeong Su-hyeon's fist smashed into his arm. Damage seeped through the sloppy guard. His wild flailing punches kept Kim Ju-seong on his toes. Kim Ju-seong hunched briefly, then thrust his long leg forward to shove Jeong Su-hyeon back. Jeong, who took it to the face, slid backward before steadying himself with a deep breath.
Kim Ju-seong felt the wound on his arm healing again. His body was in peak condition, but mentally, he was exhausted. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to shake it off.
How much effort had it taken to stand here? He remembered his late grandfather worrying about him. His parents, gone too soon. His kind grandmother stomping her feet in worry when he made the finals, fretting about her grandson getting hurt.
Her beaming smile over a massage chair, yet her anxious fidgeting about it breaking. He couldn't lose. He wanted to win, even if it meant dirty tricks. Everyone did it. Kim Ju-seong had never in his life seen anyone win honestly.
Everyone lived like cowards.
That was the right way to live. He wasn't ashamed. Kim Ju-seong snapped his eyes open. Murderous intent filled the air.
Jeong Su-hyeon was charging in. Despite taking a kick to the head just moments ago, he moved like it was nothing.
It was like facing a rampaging bull barehanded.
Kim Ju-seong gritted his teeth and unleashed a low kick at his leg. It was a sloppy low kick, but executed by Kim Ju-seong loaded with buffs, its power was on another level. Jeong Su-hyeon, who hadn't guarded his lower body, dropped to one knee and glared at Kim Ju-seong.
Like a rocket igniting its boosters, he sprang up from his kneel to smash Kim Ju-seong's face. Kim Ju-seong grabbed the hand aimed at his head as it rose high. He even seized the left hand trying to pull away. With both hands captured, Kim Ju-seong tried to crush Jeong Su-hyeon downward.
A pure contest of strength. Jeong Su-hyeon thrashed to escape Kim Ju-seong, who was wringing his hands like laundry. Kim Ju-seong pressed him down. Jeong's rising knee buckled again, leaving a dent in the floor. Kim Ju-seong poured on even more force, like he meant to flatten him completely.
Jeong Su-hyeon conversed with the Omnipotent Being in his mind.
"Why am I losing in power?! You're the Omnipotent Being!"
"You're injured right now, so I can't give you more. If I push harder here, your body itself will break. Will you sacrifice your future for one victory?"
Jeong Su-hyeon gritted his teeth at the words. He had to escape somehow with just the power flowing now. But his captured hands had no way out, and Kim Ju-seong ground his teeth with a confident sneer and yelled.
"I win! I fucking win!"
Jeong Su-hyeon slowly shook his head. Kim Ju-seong pulled his foot back slightly to smash his head. He planned to KO him with a chin kick in one shot. With both arms pinned, Jeong Su-hyeon couldn't guard, and pinned down by raw power, he couldn't kick or counter either.
He decided it didn't matter if he killed him. Kim Ju-seong gritted his teeth.