Chapter 24
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: What the Hell Kind of Reason
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‘What’s that?’
Looking closely, something was embedded in the goblin’s chest. It resembled a nail or an awl.
Only after someone beside him muttered “Dart?” did Lee Joo-hyuk realize it was a combat dart.
‘He’s been scarce lately, so he’s been practicing that?’
This made it hard for him to gauge Cha In-hyeok’s strength. He knew the guy could throw darts well, but he had no clue about his stats or skills.
The one thing he could tell was that the guy was incredibly calm.
Monsters tapped into primal human fear. No matter how iron-willed you were, they couldn’t help but rattle you.
Unless he’d killed that hobgoblin, this was probably his first real monster fight, yet Cha In-hyeok didn’t seem shaken at all.
‘Suspicious. I’ll need to check him out myself.’
Lee Joo-hyuk was called last. He swung his massive halberd lightly, slicing a goblin clean in half at the waist. It was an effortless victory.
He smacked his lips regretfully at the goblins left in the cage.
‘Doesn’t even register. Still, this eased the pain in my chest a bit. Should hold me over for a while.’
As he returned to his spot, he took in Cha In-hyeok’s form again. The chest pain he’d barely suppressed boiled back up.
Lee Joo-hyuk knew exactly why. His mana stone craved blood. That guy’s blood, specifically.
‘Annoying bastard.’
Verifying if he’d killed the hobgoblin wouldn’t be easy. But there was a simple way to resolve it without confirming.
‘Just kill all the suspects.’
* * *
“Instructor Song! I took down that goblin with this dart! That counts as a real combat throw, right? Doesn’t that mean I’ve mastered the basics? Can’t we start on javelins now...?”
I crowed triumphantly, only to get Song Hye-rin’s signature cocky head tilt in return.
“What? Mastered the basics? Pulled off a combat throw?”
Her sentences shortened again. I’d recently learned she went into full rage mode at the slightest dismissal of throwing skills.
“No, why...”
“Taking down one goblin and calling it combat? You think being a hunter is that easy? Listen up—real combat means accounting for situations like being surrounded by hundreds of goblins!”
“Come on, that’s ridiculous. Goblins aren’t ants; how could there be hundreds?”
I’d gotten used to her flare-ups by now and could parry appropriately.
“Anyway! The point is, in real combat, you won’t have time to leisurely measure distance, aim, or control your breathing! You’ll have anywhere from ten to twenty charging at you at once—think you’ll have the luxury?”
She was exaggerating. I wasn’t going into dungeons alone; no way I’d face that many monsters by myself.
I eyed her suspiciously, wondering if she was stalling on teaching javelins. Narrowing my eyes, I asked.
“So when exactly are you gonna teach me javelins?”
“Naturally, when you’re good enough to use throws in actual combat. For reference, to use throws in combat, you need to...”
Instructor Song reached for her X-band. In an instant, a sickle dagger shot out, embedding itself in the target before she’d even seemed to move. Drawing and throwing flowed as one seamless motion.
“You gotta be able to draw and throw that fast. And that’s not all—consecutive throws, throwing on the move, hitting moving targets... you’ve got tons more to learn.”
As she spoke, she hit a button in the control room, making the target slide side to side.
It didn’t just move—it ducked behind rock-shaped obstacles intermittently.
For that, Instructor Song threw what we’d call ninja shurikens.
*Whirrr*
The shuriken curved sharply sideways, skirting the obstacle and embedding in the target behind it.
It was just like watching Owari’s Crimson Demon Flower, Shinobi Yukie.
“Whoa!”
I couldn’t help but gasp. Instructor Song’s style was exactly like the combat form of my dream, Kage Gatsu.
“That’s the level you need to be at for it to work in real combat. Got it?”
Sweat-dampened hair swaying lightly as she flashed a bright smile—Song Hye-rin looked...
Incredibly cool.
‘Damn it, now I have no choice but to learn this.’
* * *
“Let’s see... You seem pretty used to handling goblins now, so how about we start some life-or-death spars today?”
About two months after enlisting at the training center, the ever-bored-looking instructor’s eyes lit up as he brought up spars.
“Starting today, you’ll do real-combat-style spars once a week. I told you on day one, right? You’d be spilling blood soon. Heh heh heh. This is getting exciting. Who wants to kick things off?”
At the instructor’s words, Kim Cheol-min bounded up to the arena with murderous intent. It felt like he was sharpening his knife for revenge against me.
Sure enough, his blade pointed my way. But the instructor shook his head in dissatisfaction.
“Same old rerun from last time? Nah, boring. I wanna see something fresh this time... Ah! How about this? Low-rankers challenge high-rankers. Win, and you take their spot in the top ranks!”
The instructor grinned cruelly as he continued.
“Naturally, all the perks for top ranks go to the winner too. Like... gate entry passes, for example.”
“T-That’s! Isn’t that way too unfair to the top rankers?”
The instructor scoffed at Kim Cheol-min’s protest.
“Ha! You’ve got higher stats and it’s unfair? Anyone whining like that doesn’t deserve to enter a gate in the first place! You gotta be able to face challengers stronger than you—or crush those charging at you with death in their eyes—to survive against monsters!”
“Urk!”
Kim Cheol-min backed down without retorting. At the same time, a strange heat began rising throughout the arena.
Those bumped from top ranks by slim margins were steeling themselves to challenge again.
Everyone was eyeing who’d make the first move.
Lee Joo-hyuk stepped up to the arena, halberd in hand. He swept a haughty gaze over the crowd and spoke.
“If there’s no one up top like me, do I just have to wait around for a challenger? What if no one does? Do I not get to spar?”
“Hmm. If no one challenges after a good while, I’ll let you pick your opponent.”
“Heh heh. Sounds good. Oh! One more thing! What if I kill my opponent during the spar?”
“Then... they die. What can you do? If they get hurt bad enough that even I can’t save ’em, they’re not cut out for it anyway. They’d die quick as a hunter. Dying a little sooner changes nothing.”
“That’s a rule I like.”
Lee Joo-hyuk smirked and looked right at me.
‘No, did he just glance at me? Why?’
Just to be safe, I swapped spots with the guy next to me. His eyes smoothly followed.
‘Damn, it’s me.’
No idea why, but I’d clearly been marked by Lee Joo-hyuk.
* * *
“What, so in the end, no one’s challenging first place?”
The instructor clucked his tongue in disappointment. As he said, plenty challenged top rankers—but not a single one went for Lee Joo-hyuk.
Made sense. First or twentieth, gate access was the same. Better odds going after weaker top rankers.
For reference, three people challenged me. They were armed with swords and shields, and honestly, I was stumped at first on how to handle them.
All I’d learned in two weeks was throwing, and they had massive shields covering most of their torsos—no clear shot.
But I didn’t lose. No, I won way easier than expected and was the one surprised.
‘Instructor Song’s tip worked perfectly.’
First dart to the face to force a block, then while their vision’s blocked, hit the exposed bits outside the shield.
It worked like a charm; the second dart dropped all three with gut shots.
Didn’t even need the third. Thrown weapons cause serious internal damage on impact—one hit decides it.
Honestly, winning so easily had me worried someone would question my level, but surprisingly, no one said a word.
I didn’t get why at first, but then Lee Jin-hyuk explained.
“Whoa! Hundred percent accuracy. You must’ve practiced a ton, huh?”
“Just got lucky.”
“I can tell from how you talk. You’re a total talent, aren’t ya? Man, jealous. I’ve been training two months and shield work still feels awkward. You’ve already mastered throwing.”
“Haha, not quite mastered...”
People see great throws and think talent or practice, not high level.
Accuracy ties to agility stats, but also innate talent and practice.
‘Guess I don’t need to hide my skill so hard?’
At least for throwing, I can let my agility show. Just gotta control strength.
‘Man, the rankings shifted a lot more than I thought.’
With eighty low-rankers challenging twenty top ones, top rankers faced anywhere from four to eight in a row.
Even top rankers couldn’t endure that stamina-wise.
Maybe that’s why midway through, the top trainees started going harder.
Show challengers they’d regret it, scare off more. Or pull a overwhelming skill gap like me.
“Heh heh heh. Been a while since I watched something this fun. Alright, spars end here for today...”
The instructor was wrapping up with a tongue click when Lee Joo-hyuk stepped to center.
“Didn’t you say you’d let me pick an opponent?”
“Oh, right. Yeah. Okay, big guy! Who do you wanna fight?”
“I’d like to fight the 19th-ranked trainee.”
“Oho~ Halberd versus throws... now that’s an interesting matchup.”
Damn Lee Joo-hyuk had picked me, and the instructor rubbed his hands like he’d struck entertainment gold.
Judging by the instructor’s face, dodging this fight wasn’t happening. Sure enough, he sent us both to the central arena.
I stood in the 10m x 10m arena, eyeing his weapon.
‘Yep, halberd as main.’
The halberd towered over Lee Joo-hyuk’s height. Easily three meters. Arena was tight—mess up, and I’d be cornered.
Forget attacking; widening distance came first.
‘Start with probing... whoa!’
*Boom!*
I’d barely stepped back when the halberd smashed my previous spot. Impact cratered the stone floor. One wrong move, and I’d lose a limb easy.
*Boom! Boom!*
Lee Joo-hyuk kept swinging, but I leaped away a step ahead each time. His misses pissed him off; he growled low.
“You rat bastard. Stop running and come at me!”
“Sorry. Like you said, I’m kinda cowardly...”
I widened the gap again, tossing a light dart to test him. Gauge if he’d faced throws before, how he handled them—then plan accordingly.
*Cling!*
Surprisingly, Lee Joo-hyuk angled the halberd sideways, blocking with the axe head. Using its broad side like a shield.
The response was impressive, but his reaction speed was insane.
‘No way that’s improv. He planned to fight me and prepped counters. Why?’
No clue on motive, but his killing intent was palpable. For some reason, he wanted me dead.
I couldn’t fathom it. Couldn’t recall doing anything to earn that much hate.
‘I thought I was used to baseless malice, but it still sours the mood.’
Old me would’ve shrugged it off as inevitable. Or pondered how to change his mind.
Pointless. Like or hate is their call. Can’t force it.
All I could do was...
‘Give him a reason to hate me.’
Yeah. That bullshit reason? I’ll make it for you.