131. After the Match
As the reunion match drew to a close, Yoon Han-gyeol and I—the only two left standing—stepped into the waiting room. The rest of the PER team greeted us with bright smiles.
"Hey~ Knew you could do it?"
"So you couldn't even fight back before getting sent packing?"
"Just stepping stones for our ace's highlight reel."
Kim Do-jun winked at me as he said it. Creepy bastard. Shameless, too. Still, PSG's players were no slouches individually, and he'd played a big part in shutting them down. 'Gotta remind him a bit more that I'm the one calling the shots, and he needs to coordinate.'
And then...
"You, the crumpled mess in the corner."
"...Me?"
"Yeah. Who else is there, mister?"
Ryu Jae-jun's embarrassment was written all over his face. No surprise— he'd never been this ineffective in a 2nd Division match before. Must feel pathetic to him. But hey, nobody succeeds every time. Gotta trip up now and then to stay human.
"Once we're back, you and I are gonna grind some Hunters League map studies together, hand in hand. Right, mister?"
Maybe because Ryu Jae-jun rarely showed weakness, the team burst into laughter at my teasing.
"Ugh... 'Mister'?"
He looked genuinely mortified, fumbling for a mirror. It was pretty hilarious. The match had dragged on forever, so everyone was wiped out, but luckily a staffer popped in soon after.
"Called players, please enter."
The post-match interview for our final 2nd Division hurdle: the PSG game.
[Caster]: Thanks for sticking around. That PSG vs. PER match was close to the longest in 2nd Division history. Time for the interview!
With the caster's intro, the interviewees took the stage. Interestingly, it wasn't just the single MVP—there were two of us.
"Wait, it's not just me? Kim Do-jun's coming too?"
"Yes... That's what the broadcast team said."
A bit unexpected. Outside of 1st Division, double interviews were rare. Kim Do-jun looked floored when the staff explained.
Anyway, the interview was underway.
[Caster]: Today, we're joined not just by MVP Lee Chang-hyun, but also Kim Do-jun, who stirred up buzz with his surprise tactics again. Hello!
Light greetings kicked things off.
[Caster]: First up, the question everyone's asking: Kim Do-jun's surprise tactic. Was it pre-planned?
Straight to a tricky one. As I pondered the best response, an idea hit me.
[Lee Chang-hyun]: Lots to say about that... but I guess you could say I was thrilled by Kim Do-jun's performance.
[Caster]: Oh? So not a planned team tactic?
[Kim Do-jun]: Chang-hyun... you get it...
[Lee Chang-hyun]: By the Kim Do-jun who ignored the coach and team to do his own thing. Haha.
Anyone watching probably would've said my smile didn't reach my eyes. Kim Do-jun melted at first, thinking it was praise, then froze solid. Half serious, half joking— but he got the point. To outsiders, though, it looked different.
Now that I'd called out the screw-up, time to highlight the good stuff. Say what you will, Kim Do-jun had the strongest drive to improve on the team. Just needed to steer it right.
[Lee Chang-hyun]: Still, credit where it's due—constantly scheming solo shows initiative worth praising.
Kim Do-jun perked up again. 'Man... not a kid anymore.'
[Caster]: Haha, what a fun duo from PER. Especially Kim Do-jun impersonating Lee Chang-hyun—swords from our ace sparked tons of talk. Any chance we'll see more weapon swaps in future matches?
The caster was sharp today. Magic Engineering Weapon Conversion had mostly stuck to dual pistols and sniper lately, but yeah, more variety like today was coming. Spill too much, though, and rivals would counter.
'But with fans watching, total secrecy feels off too.'
I was about to downplay it when—
[Kim Do-jun]: Haha! You guys don't know— Chang-hyun's director for a reason. Not just swords, but... Ow!
Good thing I pinched his arm quick. Same team or not, no slacking. He meant well, bragging for me, but this was deliberate misdirection.
[Lee Chang-hyun]: Various weapons? I've prepped some, but no guarantees they'll work. If the situation calls for it, maybe.
No need in 2nd Division anyway. Fastest to promotion was 1st Division qualifiers. And hey, I trained all our sword users. No way we'd lose there. Just holding back for 1st Division and internationals— even if it meant calculated losses.
[Caster]: Looking forward to it. And now PER's topped 2nd Division by beating PSG—prime for 1st Division qualifiers. Your thoughts?
[Lee Chang-hyun]: 1st Division qualifiers... First goal since awakening as a hunter. We'll give it our best.
Answering felt... refreshing. Thrilling after regression, but anxiety always lingered. Hunters League was a team game. No matter how good I was, weak teammates meant losses. Without Bloom, overwhelming dominance was tough. This match proved it.
Yet here we were: from auditions, 3rd Division basement dwellers, through 2nd—my team heading to 1st already. Pride swelled.
'Gotta whip PER into shape before qualifiers, turn 'em into real pros...'
Rookies and nobodies, but they'd stepped up. 1st Division meant Leman's investments—better recruits incoming...
[Lee Chang-hyun]: Also, lots of teammates couldn't shine today, but tell the PER crew they did great.
[Kim Do-jun]: Hard work? Nah—'send words to Jeju, people to Seoul, Hunters League to 1st Division.' Nation's about to see my true value. Pumped!
[Caster]: ...PER's ambitions noted. That's the interview—thanks for watching, viewers!
That wrapped my longest match since regressing.
Meanwhile, Leman and the hulking black man watching live—Lennon—stayed glued post-interview.
"Lennon. That shocking?"
Lennon stared blankly ahead, face stiff, ignoring Leman.
"My investment, sure, and full of surprises—but nothing to faze an American like you."
Leman sounded puzzled. Fair point—Korean Hunters League was leagues below America's.
"Surface level, maybe. But Leman..."
America's famed hunter, John Lennon, forced the words out.
"Remember the final clash?"
"Final? Doppelgangers swarming, everyone helpless, while Lee Chang-hyun gunned down PSG?"
Lennon sighed deeply.
"That's not something to brush off."
Yeah, civilians chalk it up to 'good instincts' or 'body control.' But overcoming chaos freely? No light feat.
Countless veterans died in the Hall of Illusions. All 1st-gen pros.
"Imagine if he'd been at the Tower during that tragedy."
Then? Far more survivors. Doppelganger frenzy rendered everyone useless—frontline, backline, tanks, DPS. Total mayhem. 1st-gen glory faded as they fell one by one. Lennon relived it: comrades butchered before his powerless eyes.
"Tormenting. Better not to have seen the match."
He'd accepted it as inevitable. Chaos crippled control for all.
But today? Leman's rec sparked the impossible, shattering 'common sense.'
"Hm... I get a method existed, and he pulled it off. But no need for self-blame, Lennon. Ancient history—you didn't cause it."
"If I'd matched that player, maybe I could've saved them."
The match hit Lennon hard; he looked more resolute than Leman.
"Sigh... So what now? It's over."
Then, unexpectedly:
"Leman."
"I need to meet that player."
That sparked the first meeting between Lennon—America's famed 1st-gen active league hunter—and Lee Chang-hyun.