Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: First Time Seeing a Saintess Who’s Good at Magic Too?
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Veins bulged on Jihan's neck.
It was because of the man and woman chatting right in front of him, completely ignoring his presence.
"I was just going to say hi and leave, so why are you acting like this?"
Who's telling who to pipe down?
Jihan's cheek twitched, and the tip of his nose flared with irritation.
"You know, I'm a hunter who's basically guaranteed a B-Rank promotion anytime now, right?"
"...And?"
Sihyun deliberately ignored Jihan's posturing.
Unable to hold back his boiling temper, Jihan yelled.
"Are you fucking crazy?!"
"If you're really a soon-to-be B-Rank, that means even a one-on-two fight should be fine. An E-Rank and a D-Rank. Both of us."
"Ha?"
Jihan looked back and forth between Sihyun and Hankyeol in utter disbelief.
Judging by how casually she spoke, the woman seemed like a hunter too. An E-Rank one, at that.
What the hell gave them this level of confidence?
Jihan was the type who could take on ten E-Ranks while picking his nose.
One D-Rank and an E-Rank? A total of two? It was simply ridiculous.
"Miss, you're going to get hurt bad if you talk like that."
"Are you scared?"
"Fuck, seriously."
Jihan twisted his face into a scowl and spat out curses.
Her blank expression as she tossed out those words made his anger surge even higher.
He felt thoroughly dismissed.
It looked like he needed to teach them what the hunter world was really like.
"Hah! Fine, let's throw down. Don't cry to me if you get messed up bad. Bro? You in?"
"Uh..."
At Jihan's call, Hankyeol made a reluctant face.
He understood that Sihyun was provoking Jihan on purpose.
The problem was, once that guy's eyes rolled back in rage, he didn't care who was in front of him.
He knew Sihyun was strong; she definitely wasn't someone who belonged in E-Rank.
But when it came to how strong she really was? He had no clue. He just vaguely thought she was amazing.
Hankyeol looked at Sihyun with trembling eyes.
Can the two of us actually take down Jihan?
That was what he had been thinking just moments ago.
But he couldn't voice his doubt.
She flashed a pure, childlike smile at him.
The moment he saw that face, the small spark of courage that had been quietly hiding inside him slowly stirred and peeked its head out.
"We can do it."
Holy Knight Buff
Confidence surges. All Stats +20%. Fear Resistance: Max. Focus sharpened.
Sihyun murmured softly.
It was just a short phrase, but it felt like a magic spell.
Confidence filled Hankyeol's chest to the brim.
Hankyeol slowly rose from his seat.
"...I'll grab a training sword from the warehouse, so head to the open lot by the building."
"Heh heh, if you get hurt, I'm seriously not responsible."
Jihan emphasized it again with a sleazy grin.
In his head, a fantasy world was already unfolding where he toyed with the two who had dared to mock him.
The three gathered in the open lot behind the building.
Hankyeol handed Jihan a sturdy but bladeless training sword.
Then he approached Sihyun.
Right then, Sihyun leaned against a nearby streetlamp pole.
She looked as if she were declaring, 'I'm not joining the fight.'
Hankyeol's body froze like ice.
He stared at Sihyun, stammering.
"S-Sihyun... miss...?"
"Yeah?"
"Why are you leaning on the streetlamp...?"
"...?"
Hankyeol voiced his question in a trembling tone.
Sihyun blinked for a moment, unable to grasp why he was asking such a thing.
"I wanted to watch comfortably."
"...Weren't we fighting together?"
"...Oh."
Thanks to Hankyeol's desperate tone, Sihyun belatedly understood the misunderstanding.
"I'll cast a Holy Knight skill on you, so you make that guy shut up."
"......"
Hankyeol shut his mouth. The courage that had just sprouted quickly sank back into the cold soil.
He rubbed his face with the hand not holding the sword.
This was bad.
He was obviously in for a brutal beating. That guy never held back—brother or not, he'd just pound him like a dog.
As Hankyeol hung his head, inwardly sobbing, Jihan sauntered over, sneering.
"Why don't you both just rush me at once?"
"......"
Hankyeol lifted his head with a dark expression.
Sihyun was yawning cutely. After wiping her mouth with her palm, she slurped the last of her milk.
She shook the empty carton with a regretful look. Guess she finished it.
From Hankyeol's perspective, the amount of milk seemed more important to her than the fight itself.
His mood sank sharply. Screw it. What's done was done.
Hankyeol steeled himself. He'd just try his best and, at the very least, try not to look too pathetic.
"...Let's start."
"Heh heh, I'll go easy on you."
Hankyeol assumed a stance while Jihan kept his sloppy, overconfident posture.
Snap!
The sudden sound of a finger flick echoed through the lot.
In that instant, Hankyeol felt power surging through his body. Yeah, this was the feeling.
Vitality flooded his limbs, and his fear vanished. His focus felt sharper, too.
Right now, he felt like he could do anything.
Hankyeol calmly eyed his opponent.
Meanwhile, Jihan felt something off the moment that crazy chick flicked her finger.
His body felt strangely sluggish. A subtle discomfort gnawed at him.
A hallucination? No, his condition must just be off today.
Not that he'd lose to a mere D-Rank and E-Rank, anyway.
Jihan gripped his sword with both hands and kicked off the ground.
He swung down the sword raised high, targeting Hankyeol's head.
They were both Awakeners, and the blade was dull, so it would just hurt like hell. He had no hesitation in his attack.
"...Huh?"
"Hmph."
It should've been a scream of agony by now, or at least a strained grunt from a desperate block.
But Hankyeol easily twisted aside, dodging the sword completely.
Jihan doubted his own eyes. Word was that Hankyeol had been grinding dungeons lately—had he really improved that much?
Jihan swung again. Once, twice. Hankyeol dodged every attack.
"Hya!"
"......"
Finally, Jihan used a surprise swordsmanship combat skill. He slashed horizontally at Hankyeol's waist, faster than before.
A long afterimage trailed the blade. This one's going to land! Jihan grinned sleazily.
But Hankyeol blocked it perfectly, holding his sword vertical. His face scrunched a little from the impact, but that was it.
"...What? Something's weird." Jihan muttered unwittingly.
There was no way a D-Rank like Hankyeol could hang with him like this.
Yeah, Jihan was attacking unilaterally, but was he really in control? Was he really the stronger one?
Jihan panted, stepping back. The air felt heavy somehow. Something was eating away at him, pressing down.
He felt a strong sense of déjà vu, but he couldn't pinpoint it. His eyes drifted to the woman standing a bit away.
Their earlier conversation flashed in his mind: [Soon-to-be B-Rank means even one-on-two would be fine. E-Rank, D-Rank. Both.]
One-on-two. No way.
"...A magic hunter?"
Magic hunters had such varied skills you couldn't tell what they were doing until you faced them directly.
Jihan's brow furrowed deeply. He felt like he'd been played by some dirty trick.
But he couldn't dwell on it. Hankyeol's counterattack had begun.
He'd adapted to the buffed state, shifting from a defensive to an aggressive stance.
Hankyeol closed the gap in a flash, slashing vertically and horizontally. The tide had turned.
"Ugh...!"
Jihan blocked the attack with bulging eyes. It was razor-close timing.
A split second later, and his shoulder would've been hit. His sword hand was already tingling.
This was really a D-Rank? Had he been hiding a C-Rank promotion? Even at full strength, Jihan shouldn't be struggling this much.
No way a mere E-Rank magic helper could change things this much. He felt scammed.
Jihan's thoughts tangled chaotically, but he had no time for deep thinking.
Hankyeol pressed the attack relentlessly, refusing to yield the momentum.
He pounded Jihan without giving him breathing room. Each whoosh-whoosh of the sword forced Jihan back.
Jihan's face twisted with effort, while joy bloomed on Hankyeol's.
I can do this! I can win! Me, a total scrub, pressuring the guild's ace!
He knew it was thanks to Sihyun's buff, but it felt like a glimpse into his own future. Holy Knight skills are insane!
His heart pounded with euphoria. The thrill spread from his chest to every nerve, enveloping him.
"Gah—!"
"Ha ha ha...!"
Finally, Hankyeol's sword struck Jihan's neck.
Jihan screamed in pain, staggering back. As he clutched his neck with tears streaming down his face, Hankyeol glanced back at Sihyun.
Their eyes met; she smiled softly and waved. She felt like a goddess of victory watching over him.
Hankyeol faced forward again. He knew Sihyun was destined for great heights, somewhere lofty he couldn't reach.
He knew she was a flower on a cliff. But was it so bad to just gaze at the flower? To follow her path from behind, growing steadily until he became someone he wouldn't be ashamed of?
Hankyeol charged at Jihan again.
"Heh heh heh..."
"Ow! Ugh!"
Head, shoulder, knee, foot. Hankyeol diligently whacked Jihan all over.
The guy had been getting cockier lately, and his manners were nonexistent. Beating him felt so damn good—the stress just went poof!
Jihan had his pride, at least; he didn't quit even while getting thrashed, which only made Hankyeol beat him even more gleefully.
Thwack! Thwack!
Hit after hit, it was pure fun. Yeah, rude punks needed a beating. The stick was the best medicine.
"H-Hankyeol! S-Stop! H-Hyung, I-I'm sorry!"
"Watch your tone."
"...Sorry! Aaaagh!"
Jihan, his forehead smacked by Hankyeol, collapsed face-down, groaning in agony. He seemed about done.
Sihyun approached Hankyeol leisurely.
"Hankyeol."
"Yes?"
"You look happy. How about educating him a bit more?"
"Ah, should I?"
At Sihyun's playful tone, Hankyeol grinned. And right then...
"Hey, kids, what are you doing...?"
Dayoung appeared from the side of the building. Her eyes widened at the scene.
The prostrated Jihan spotted her immediately.