Chapter 304: Anxiety (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 304: Anxiety (3)
The mana circuit.
One of the key differences that separated an Awakened Being from an ordinary person, it was a network carved throughout the body that allowed mana to flow freely.
Damage to this circuit—permanent damage, at that—meant something very simple and clear.
The end of one's life as a Hunter.
“N-No way.”
He couldn't believe it.
The National Hunter.
A man who had lived for over a decade as the guardian of the Republic of Korea.
The experts all said the nation would live under his protection for the next ten years.
Son Si-woo's standing wasn't something that could be taken away simply by being strong.
That made it all the more difficult to believe.
It was hard to believe that this man, trusted by the vast majority of society—experts, politicians, civilians, and entrepreneurs alike—was actually suffering from permanent damage to his circuit. His body was in such a terrible state that it wouldn't have been strange for him to retire at any moment.
“Th-Then, could it be…?”
A thought suddenly occurred to him.
Could it be that Equivalent Exchange had factored in this physical condition, deeming the absurd trade to be fair?
In other words.
“I was the stupid one…”
The sucker wasn't Son Si-woo or the Equivalent Exchange trait—it was him.
The enormous secret held by the National Hunter, Son Si-woo.
Having opened Pandora's box, he grew extremely anxious.
Even for a man who cherished his family more than his own life, would he really want to return to a broken-down body?
A doubt crept into his mind, which was only now beginning to think like a normal person's.
At the same time, events began to unfold that would only amplify his anxiety.
【B-Rank Rookie Hunter Kim Do-jin Passes the Hardest Qualification Exam in History with a Perfect Score. Who is He?】
【Kim Do-jin's Shocking Declaration: "I'll Break Every Remaining Dungeon Conquest Record."】
【Kim Do-jin, Who Wiped Out a New Drug Cartel, States Humbly, "I Only Did What I Had to Do."】
Kim Do-jin—no, Son Si-woo, who was in my body—was starting to make a name for himself.
And he was doing it by showcasing abilities so spectacular and overwhelming that they were unprecedented in the entire world.
If he intended to reclaim his original body, then his current one was just a temporary vessel.
It was also the body that his enemy, the one who stole it, would eventually return to. Wasn't this level of activity a bit much?
But if he had no intention of getting his body back, then all of this made perfect sense.
A second life, given to a veteran who had survived for decades in the Hunter industry.
What could be a more spectacular debut for it?
“Ah…”
On top of all that, there was the scandal with Han Ju-yeon.
Seeing this, Son Si-woo immediately went to confront Han Ju-yeon.
“Th-This isn't right, is it?”
“Hmm? What is?”
“This scandal article!”
The photo of Kim Do-jin and Han Ju-yeon displayed on Son Si-woo's smartphone screen.
Seeing it, she asked with a bright smile.
“That's my favorite article too! Don't Do-jin and I look the best together in that one?”
Son Si-woo's face crumpled into a scowl as he yelled.
“Th-That's not what I mean! You can't do this! How could you, with your own brother-in-law…!”
Just before he could finish.
Han Ju-yeon's smiling eyes turned sharp.
“Excuse me.”
A single, cold phrase escaped her lips.
“My brother-in-law is you, isn't he?”
“...!”
He had rushed all the way here for one reason.
To ask for her help.
Don't you want to get your brother-in-law back? How sad would your sister be if she found out? And what about Seo-yeon?
He had intended to use all sorts of arguments to plead for her help.
But the moment he heard her reply, he realized it was all useless.
Because.
“You… you were in love with your brother-in-law.”
The way she gazed at the photo of herself and Kim Do-jin on his smartphone screen resembled his own past self.
It was the same look he'd had back then, filled with deep affection as he stared at a photo of Han Ju-hee on his monitor.
Her long-hidden secret now exposed, she smiled as if she had nothing left to hide.
With a radiant smile, she offered him her thanks.
“That's why I've always been grateful to you.”
It was a smile that seemed somehow chilling.
“So… if you ever need help, just let me know, okay?”
She lightly patted his trembling shoulder and continued.
“Brother-in-law.”
“...”
To Son Si-woo, that single, short word, "brother-in-law," sounded like something else.
It sounded like a command: Don't try anything funny. Just stay as my brother-in-law.
At the utterly cold warning, Son Si-woo couldn't help but shudder.
* * *
The Hunter Qualification Exam for the second quarter of the year finally arrived.
Unlike the last one, this exam was causing a stir even before it began.
The reason was simple.
【Just How Skilled Are the Teammates Chosen by Korea's Rising Star, Kim Do-jin?】
…An article with that headline had introduced the team members, complete with their names, photos, and positions.
Thanks to that, the team's tension was at an all-time high.
It was obvious that if they didn't showcase outstanding skills, every online community would be set ablaze.
“Ugh… I need a calming pill.”
“N-Na-eun. Please give me one as well. That… calming pill?”
“Yeah… here.”
“Thank you.”
“Um… could I have one, too?”
“Seo-yeon Sunbae, you too…?”
“Yeah…”
“H-Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
Even Seo-yeon, who always seemed so composed and rarely got nervous, was chewing on a calming pill to settle her nerves.
“It was you.”
Only Shin Yu-jeong was pressing me, glaring daggers.
“…What was me?”
I played dumb, and she shoved her smartphone in my face, demanding.
“This article! You told them to write it, didn't you?”
“Nope.”
Actually, I did.
Why did I have them write it?
Partly to instill a healthy amount of tension, and partly as a form of early education to let them know what it feels like to be in the public eye.
The only problem was…
“This is way too much!”
“Is it…? Ahem, I told you, it wasn't me.”
The plan had worked a little too well.
I'm sure I only gave the scoop to the reporter that Manager Kim Seong-tae introduced me to.
【Son Seo-yeon, the Only Daughter of S-Rank Hunters Son Si-woo and Han Ju-hee, Finally Throws Her Hat in the Ring?】
The existence of Son Seo-yeon, who drew an incredible amount of aggro just by being the daughter of an S-rank Hunter couple.
And then there was this.
【A Team of Beauties! Are Kim Do-jin's Selection Criteria Gender and Good Looks?】
Im Na-eun, Elena, and Shin Yu-jeong. They were all so beautiful that it wouldn't have been strange for them to debut in the entertainment industry rather than as Hunters.
Thanks to that, searching my name on Hunter communities brought up nothing but insults.
Comments about how I had the makings of the next big shot, or calling me "Rake Do-jin."
The men were boiling with jealousy.
On the other hand, the women were insulting my teammates.
Saying things like they were just trying to ride Kim Do-jin's coattails with their pretty faces, despite having no real skills.
Just because they were pretty, they were being painted as incompetent vixens trying to leech off a man.
“Na-eun, this comment calls me a 'bul-yeo-si.' Is that a good thing?”
“Ah, well…”
“Another comment calls me Kim Do-jin's 'deung-gol breaker.' 'Deung-gol' is the spine…? Does that mean Elena broke Do-jin's spine?!”
“Th-That's not what it means…”
Looks like they're having their own troubles over there.
“Alright, everyone, gather 'round.”
Before we entered the exam site, I called over my teammates, who all looked worried sick.
“The attention on us has unexpectedly exploded… but this is the life of a Hunter. The higher your rank, the more intense this attention gets.”
My words made their faces turn pale.
The attention already felt excessive; they couldn't imagine what would happen if it got even more intense.
The thought alone was horrifying.
But it couldn't be helped.
“What can you do? This is the life you chose. You just have to grit your teeth and endure it.”
It might not sound very helpful, but it's the truth.
There's no other answer but to endure.
If there's one thing you can do…
“In a situation like this, there's only one thing you can do to make it better.”
“…And what's that?”
“You prove them wrong by exceeding everyone's expectations.”
Leeches, vixens, honeypots, bus riders…
None of the names they were being called were normal.
The only way to crush such negative public opinion is to overwhelm it with skill.
Media play? That only works after you've proven your skills. If some nobody just runs their mouth, who's going to listen?
“Don't worry, girls. I didn't train you to be pushovers.”
They still didn't know.
Just how grueling and effective their training had been.
Or where their current skills, built up through that training, truly stood.
But if you lack confidence, you can't even perform at your actual skill level.
So it was time to pull out the magic words.
“Whoever passes this qualification exam with the highest rank gets one wish from me.”
In an instant, the four of them lit up.
“You'll grant… anything?”
Im Na-eun asked on behalf of the team, looking up with sparkling eyes.
I replied.
“Anything within my power.”
A reward needs to be clear and certain.
If you're vague about it, their confidence will only get a vague boost.
“Okay, deal.”
Shin Yu-jeong, who was already less nervous than the others, became even more fired up.
“Hehe… a wish, a wish…”
Na-eun, who had been the most nervous, grinned foolishly at the word "wish," seemingly blowing away the very concept of tension.
It made sense for them, since their relationship with me had long since surpassed the ordinary.
“A wish, a wish… Do-jin seems to have made a lot of money lately…”
“…Nice.”
Elena and Son Seo-yeon.
What on earth are you two dreaming of…?
I'm suddenly getting anxious.