Extreme Techniques

"A few seconds and your mana's already back to normal. Still green as a hunter, yet you're throwing around some pretty unusual techniques."

I drew Hwaryeonbido from the scabbard at my waist and charged the woman. As I'd promised Ha Seung-hee, I had no intention of killing her. But to lock down a decisive advantage, I figured an arm or a leg would have to go.

She doesn't give off that overwhelming pressure Jin Seyeong does. Against someone of this level… I can win.

First target: her right arm.

She hurriedly ducked. Her body sank into the floor and vanished.

"Kids these days are terrifying. Zero respect for their seniors. Back in my day, when you ran into a senior, you bowed your head and said hello properly…"

Her voice came from every direction at once. I spread my senses again, but I still couldn't pin down her exact location.

Should I use Scattered Thunder? Even if I've mastered the Yeongcheon Style, chaining Extreme Techniques back-to-back puts a real strain on the body. Better use something else.

My senses sharpened another notch, and the mana hanging in the air became visible to the naked eye. I rolled my gaze around. There she was — seeping through the walls, moving without a single whisper of presence, flowing like liquid.

If I close in directly, she'll react. She has no idea I've already found her.

I swung my blade through empty air like I was throwing a tantrum. After a few repetitions, a sneer spread across the woman's face.

"I'm not over there, kid."

"If you're going to play senior, at least show yourself with some dignity."

"No thanks. Honestly, I don't have the confidence to beat you head-on. I'll take you apart my own way."

"Ugly bitch."

"…Weird. I've taken worse insults than that, but for some reason that simple little jab is really pissing me off."

"Because you're ugly. Ugly bitch."

A dagger came whistling in from the side. I swung and knocked it away. The blade spun upward, sank into the ceiling, and vanished.

"…For crying out loud. Falling for a cheap taunt and throwing a half-assed attack."

"That dagger wasn't real. You temporarily created it with your ability, same as the arms that were choking me."

"You noticed? Faster than I expected… You've got good instincts."

The voice came from the right. The real her was behind me. A pathetic little trick.

I'll play along for the right timing.

I swung. Lightning-charged sword energy shot to the right and left a scar on the wall.

"Nice reaction. But that's not it either."

The voice came from the ceiling. I stabbed upward. Nothing happened.

"You're being a pain. You can't hide forever. Why don't you show yourself already?"

"Bluffing. Getting antsy because you can't see me or sense me?"

"……."

"Here's a proposal. You've got Ha Seung-hee's research data, right? Hand it over. Of course I won't take it for free — I'll pay you. Three billion won. That should cover your trouble, no?"

"Who the hell am I supposed to stick that pocket change on?"

"Really? I was trying to make this easy… What a shame."

She was already right next to me. She reached out — her hands splitting into dozens, trying to seize my body.

Perfect timing.

I gripped the hilt tight and swung sideways.

Crackling current raced along the blade.

If Scattered Thunder was an area technique, Sealing Thunder was built for single targets. Its mana-sealing power surpassed even Scattered Thunder.

Startled, the woman tried to pull back — but Sealing Thunder extending from the blade punched straight through her shoulder.

"Kyaaaaah!"

Her presence was fully exposed. She was wide open.

Slash.

Hwaryeonbido's blade severed the woman's right arm. Instead of screaming in pain, she staggered backward.

Charna.

Using a burst of acceleration, I snatched the fleeing woman's hair in one grab. Her face twisted.

"Call Ha Jun-soo. Tell him it's over — you lost. Or should I call him myself?"

"Over? What are you talking about? You think I'm the only one under the boss?"

She said it boldly even as cold sweat ran down her face.

BOOM!

The right wall shattered, and two men in suits stepped through. One was built like a bear; the other was skinny as a bone, but the presence rolling off him was sharper than anything in the room.

The two of them muttered as they looked me over. The bear-like man wore black gloves. The skinny one drew a sword over two meters long from its scabbard.

"Wasn't he just some B-rank brat?"

"Seeing him in person, he looks A-rank. The talk about him being Korea's top prospect wasn't a lie."

"When I was his age, I was barely C-rank… I'm jealous of that talent."

"Enough chatter… Let's get to work."

I threw the woman behind me. At the same time, both men charged.

Acceleration. Charna.

Two A-rank Hunters. I have to put them down with full power from the start.

I closed in on the skinny man with the sword.

His eyes flashed. His body shifted sideways at high speed and slipped past my strike.

I understood immediately what he'd done.

Instant acceleration! He's an acceleration ability user.

I reset my stance and used Charna again. Two opponents. If I gave up the initiative, I'd be at a disadvantage. Worst case, I could go down without landing a proper counter. Better to force the attack even if it meant overreaching.

Suddenly the bear-like man appeared right in front of me, fist already raised.

Teleportation?!

An ability even more annoying than the skinny man's.

I used Charna to dodge his fist. In my head, I'd already planned the counter. But the bear-like man's fist suddenly appeared right in front of my face. Dodging was impossible.

…He already knows how to counter instant acceleration. Damn it.

The punch caught me square in the face and sent me flying into the wall. I spat out broken teeth and immediately shoved myself upright. Barely slipping past a blade aimed at my arm, I generated lightning.

The skinny man stepped through his footwork, dodging the current and retreating. The ugly woman who'd lost her right arm had already vanished without a trace.

"Got some sense."

"There's experience in those hands. Looks like he's seen a lot of real combat."

Even as they talked, they slowly shifted to seize the optimal positions.

I changed my plan. Originally I'd intended to take both of them at once, but—

That bear-like guy's teleportation is way too annoying.

The moment I saw the teleportation ability, my odds of winning hit rock bottom. If I actively used Complete Recovery, Stormbreaker, Heavenly Mind, and the rest of my arsenal, I might still find a way to win — but I had zero intention of showing my cards here.

Bail.

I couldn't confuse the victory conditions.

The goal wasn't to take down every enemy. I was security for the research lab. Priority number one was protecting the USB in my possession — Ha Seung-hee's research data.

Crackling current erupted in every direction. Blue-white lightning raced across the floor and walls. The two men recoiled and put distance between us.

"Considering what happened to her, that won't be ordinary electricity."

"Nothing dumber than deliberately taking a hit."

I used the Extreme Technique of the Yeongcheon Style that suited me best.

Using the shattered research lab to block their vision, I fled outside. My clothes were torn, my skin burned, and chunks of broken concrete stuck to my hair. I hadn't been safe from the explosion either.

There goes an entire research lab. Well, Ha Seung-hee can handle that.

Coming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out behind the research building, instead of running immediately, I gripped Hwaryeonbido tight.

If he's a teleportation user…

Whoosh.

Just as expected, the bear-like man appeared in front of me. And just as I'd been waiting for, I scattered current all around.

I raised the hilt. The bear-like man tried to use his ability to dodge — then confusion flooded his face.

"My mana…!"

His mana wouldn't move the way he wanted. Before he could recover from that shock, I smashed the pommel into his face. His nose caved in. Teeth and blood sprayed across the floor. His knees buckled — the perfect position for an uppercut.

I actually threw the uppercut.

His body floated up and crashed to the ground.

"I tend to return what I receive."

I pinched one nostril and blew hard. Blood came out instead of snot. I spat the blood pooled in my mouth too. Seeing the mix of broken teeth just pissed me off more. I kicked him in the gut.

"Gaaah!"

He screamed. Then his body vanished and reappeared above my head, massive fist driving down at my face.

I knew it.

Through Heavenly Eye, I could see exactly where he'd appear via teleportation. The mana flow in the air twisted so violently it was impossible to miss.

Lightning Fist.

Crackling current erupted from my knuckles. I threw a counter punch before his fist connected. Electrocuted, he blacked out on the spot.

Heavenly Eye made that way easier than expected. Remaining is…

From the research lab collapsed by the explosion, the skinny man with the sword came charging at me.

One-on-one, I can handle it. I can use Charna two more times… And opportunities to go blade-to-blade with an A-rank Hunter without worrying about my life aren't exactly common.

But I deliberately snuffed out the rising fighting spirit.

I couldn't be sure this was all the force Ha Jun-soo had prepared. My estimate was that there'd be more. With Ha Jun-soo's resources, he could hire dozens of A-rank Hunters and still have change left over.

I don't care if I lose… but if the data gets ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠taken, Ha Seung-hee is screwed.

I couldn't ignore Ha Seung-hee's request just for my personal desires. Leaving the man charging at me with murderous intent behind, I started running toward the nearby village.

"He's running!"

"Catch him!!"

"Don't let him reach the village!!"

Black-suited goons poured out from everywhere. At least B-class ability users or higher.

They were well hidden. Used magic or some ability?

There were over twenty of them. I flipped them the middle finger and ran with everything I had.

As I neared the village, the presence of my pursuers vanished.

This was purely an internal competition within the Sejin Group. They wouldn't want to leak internal information outside the group, so of course they wouldn't make a scene. The "don't kill the opponent" rule was just because this was a somewhat extreme sibling rivalry.

Anyway, I protected the data.

The winner of the sibling competition was Ha Seung-hee.