Chapter 54
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Pretty Impressive
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“Start!”
It was sparring time. One of the gang members squared off against Jin-hyuk hyung. They were both around level 6.
But Jin-hyuk hyung had more real combat experience, so his movements looked a bit more composed.
‘The winner’s about to be decided soon?’
Sure enough, hyung won. The opponent got a little banged up in the process, but nothing serious.
Subduing someone without major injuries meant hyung’s skills were way ahead.
But for some reason, the gang dragged hyung off to a remote spot after class. And then...
“What the hell do you think you’re doing? I told you not to show off, didn’t I?”
They started a group beating.
“Aaack! Why, why are you doing this?”
“If you’ve got a meek personality, just take the beating quietly, you punk! Who told you to get clever? Hey, grab his legs.”
The guy who seemed to be the leader nodded toward Jin-hyuk hyung’s legs. Then he fetched a training iron club from behind.
“W-What are you gonna do?”
“I’ve seen a lot of punks like you. They don’t wise up until they’ve got some permanent damage in one spot.”
“N-No, don’t! Please, stop!”
“Should’ve thought of that before showing off.”
I never imagined I’d witness a scene like this—grown adults ganging up on one person out in the real world.
“Doesn’t sit right with me.”
Just in case, I’d followed them. I rushed up, grabbed the wrist of the gang member about to swing the iron club, and twisted it around. Then I slammed my fist into his jaw.
“W-What the?”
“Who the hell are you, you bastard!”
That stopped the lynching cold.
“Me? Someone who likes things quiet.”
“Then just walk on by quietly!”
“You guys are too damn loud. Like I said, I prefer quiet.”
“You crazy bastard, you got a death wish or what!”
Fists flew, feet whistled past. No weapons, but an Awakener’s punch was more threatening than most.
‘Yawn.’
Of course, to me, it was barely worth a yawn.
Not surprising, since just last week I’d been in a life-or-death brawl with Lee Chun-bae.
There was no way attacks from mere trainees—who weren’t even official Hunters—would register in my eyes.
“H-He dodged all that? How?”
“No kidding, he did.”
I figured they’d sense the skill gap by now, but these idiots had no eye for talent and kept charging in fearlessly.
“No choice. Everyone, grab your weapons!”
The gang all picked up iron clubs. They’d crossed the line one more time.
If I held back any longer, I’d look like a pushover. I plunged into the midst of the charging mob.
“I was! Trying! To keep it! Quiet! And moderate! So why! Do you! Keep! Messing with me! Huh?”
Every word, one guy dropped. Only the leader at the back heard the whole sentence.
“W-Who the hell are you? You crazy? Do you know who we are?”
“What, second-gen chaebol or something?”
“Not exactly...”
“Then shut up.”
As I raised my fist, he frantically held up his palms.
“W-We’re people who’ve been promised spots in Black Bears Guild. Well, the others maybe not, but me for sure.”
“Black Bears?”
Black Bears ran the massive region covering Gangneung, Wonju, and Chuncheon—the top guild in Gangwon Province.
‘Top five nationwide, even.’
Gangwon had plenty of land relative to population, so from the start, they’d left a ton of gates for research purposes.
‘Now it’s the region with the most gates in the country. And where central government influence is weakest.’
Side note: that’s why the gap between developed and developing nations shrank after the gate incident. Developing countries had lots of idle land by nature.
Russia had surged back to rival the US, while Canada, Brazil, Australia, and others rose as new superpowers.
The US and China still vied for first and second, of course. They had both the land and the population.
My thoughts wandered for a sec. As I stayed silent, he smirked, thinking his words had landed.
“So let’s call it here. Must’ve been a misunderstanding. Better to settle it nicely, right?”
“That misunderstanding should’ve been cleared up before you beat on Jin-hyuk hyung.”
“Y-Yeah... Sorry about that.”
“Got it. Let’s wrap it up here.”
“Really?”
I drove my fist into the beaming bastard’s face.
“Kuheok! W-Why?”
“Even if we’re settling it, we still gotta square accounts. Take ten more for your crew and call it clean.”
“You little shit!”
He lunged late, but went down after one hit and passed out. Built like an orc, but tougher hide than a goblin? Nope.
“Hyung, you okay?”
“Yeah. Nothing broken, luckily. But you gonna be alright? These guys are Black Bears.”
“Dunno. Feels like bullshit. Black Bears with that level of skill? No way.”
“What’re you talking about? They’re at least level 6. That’s pretty high.”
“R-Really?”
Had my baseline shifted that much? Hyung kept calling them impressive, but to me, they were just full of hot air and lame.
“This is bad. What if they come back with actual Black Bears for revenge?”
“Let’s wait and see. Might just be bluffing.”
* * *
Three days passed without incident. Just as I was forgetting about Black Bears, the instructor called me to the sparring grounds alone.
“Hmm. You the one?”
“The one what?”
“The guy who beat up Seok-jin’s crew.”
“Dunno their names, but yeah, I gave some punks a lesson. That a problem?”
The beefy, toad-faced instructor in his forties narrowed his beady eyes and scanned me up and down.
“Those were guys I was thinking of recruiting. Oh, by the way, I’m Park Byung-soo, in charge of Black Bears’ Yeongseong branch.”
“A Black Bears branch chief moonlighting as an instructor?”
“What’s weird about it? It’s community service, plus scouting for promising recruits.”
And the best he’d scouted were those thugs? Guy should quit instructing.
‘Zero eye for people. Or does Black Bears not care about personality, just skills?’
Disappointing. One of the top five guilds nationwide, and this is the caliber? No better than All-Kill Guild.
“So why’d you call me? Here for revenge on your ‘family’?”
My tone came out snide naturally.
“Huh? Oh, misunderstanding. They’re not family yet. No need for revenge.”
“Then why...”
“Just curious. Heard you took down ten level 6s solo.”
Park Byung-soo grinned and grabbed a weapon from the wall. A trident with three prongs like a fork.
“You said you learned throwing arts? Got a weapon on you?”
“Yeah.”
I flashed the vest packed with darts.
“Good. How about I test your skills and teach you a move or two? Wanna give it a shot?”
He lowered into stance with the trident, radiating menace.
Like a poison toad tensing to flick out its tongue.
‘Revenge? Or legit testing?’
Either way, no danger vibe. He was clearly a 3-star Hunter, but I didn’t feel like I’d lose.
‘Still, can’t get cocky.’
Fighting All-Kill Guild last time showed my PvP skills still needed work.
Low real combat exp, and unlike monsters, hard to go all-out on people.
“Alright, teach me something.”
I gripped three darts per hand and took stance. No spear or axe today.
‘Others don’t have inventory. Better hide mine.’
After catching Lee Chun-bae, Hye-rin noona’s first question was where the spear came from.
Told her inventory, she freaked—never heard of such a thing.
Begged me not to show it in front of others.
‘Lucky I used it masked.’
Using it here would be like confessing I’m the masked guy.
‘Been a while since I fought throwing only.’
I circled side to side, probing for openings. Despite his dull look, his stance had no gaps.
‘Light probe?’
I tossed six darts easy. First three at upper body, last three at legs.
A classic: block the head, eat a leg hit, lose mobility.
Worried it’d seem too weak and raise flags, so I used 2-star Hunter strength.
He’d go easy too, so levels should match.
“Not bad.”
Park Byung-soo thrust the trident long, batting three darts with the prongs.
Then swung low, carrying momentum to swat the rest.
Thrust to sweep flowed like one motion—smooth as silk.
‘This guy’s a master.’
Not like Lee Chun-bae, high rank by brute force. Real honed skill.
‘Picked the wrong fight? Nah. When else do I get to spar a pro?’
No killing intent, just parrying. No real threats.
‘Gonna learn a ton today.’
* * *
‘Pretty impressive, for real?’
Park Byung-soo smiled, knocking away the endless darts one by one. He’d wondered about Seok-jin’s crew losing, but now it made sense.
‘At least 2-star. From another guild?’
Then hands off—hunter code.
But that’s logic for the weak. Black Bears had power to flip it.
‘Don’t care the guild. He’s ours.’
Throwing suggested high agility. Strength decent too. Issue was the throwing focus...
‘No prob. Retrain him. Mastered it in under a year? Raw talent’s there.’
Wasting that on darts was dumb. Snag him quick, teach proper weapon.
‘Time to show my stuff?’
His heavy stance finally shifted feet. Signal: offense incoming.
Cha In-hyeok somehow sensed it, widening distance and hurling a dart. Park Byung-soo aborted pursuit to parry.
‘Huh? Did he read my move? Nah, probably coincidence. Just kept attacking like always.’
But darts flew every time he closed, disrupting timing. Park Byung-soo felt irritation build.
‘All that big talk, but just gonna turtle to the end?’
Fight ends when Cha In-hyeok’s darts run dry. No show by then, and “teaching a move” rings hollow.
‘Was gonna go easy, but no can do.’
Even thinking that, he kept grinning. Couldn’t go easy meant opponent was that good.
‘Throw another.’
Trident writhed like a snake, flinging darts everywhere. Park Byung-soo closed slow but sure.
Finally in trident range. Right after last dart parry.
‘Gotcha!’
Three needle-sharp prongs flew at Cha In-hyeok’s chest. Bluff thrust—stop short.
“Huh?”
Didn’t even reach chest. A leather strap whipped midair, snaring the prongs.
“W-What’s that?”
“Oh, this? A sling.”
Sling strap, precisely. Cha In-hyeok gripped both ends, blocking the trident.
Whoosh—whoosh!
Twisted strap around central prong side to side. Instant knot.
“Urk! What the...!”
Panicked, Park Byung-soo thrust. Cha In-hyeok yanked the strap, leaping back light.
“I’m out of weapons now. Should I keep going barehanded?”
Park Byung-soo’s face twisted at Cha In-hyeok’s casual tone.