Victory
KABOOM! In the very last moment, Lee Chang-hyun pulled out his hidden trump card. Whether it had worked or not was still unknown. The judges and the chat were holding their breath in stunned silence.
A storm of dust filled the screen, blocking out the view entirely. It was the aftermath of the Mana Bomber Lee Chang-hyun had detonated. And as the dust finally cleared... no one was left standing.
As the dust settled, the chat exploded with reactions. Deep down, Lee Min-seok felt exactly the same. He'd been certain Lee Chang-hyun couldn't win... and then that certainty shattered.
...Of course, it wasn't a complete victory for Lee Chang-hyun. But in the game itself, he had won.
Red Team Victory
Beeeep! The delayed judgment sound echoed through the stadium. The match had effectively ended the moment Yoo Hye-ju's team was wiped out. Lee Geun-taek had just been a bonus. Without him, it would've been over even sooner.
Even so, Lee Chang-hyun had pushed Lee Geun-taek to the brink with everything he had—maybe out of sheer competitive fire.
'He went all-in to win for real...' Lee Min-seok remembered his own aspiring hunter days, when he'd burned with that same intensity. It hit different.
To give your all against an opponent so overwhelmingly superior... that alone made him admirable.
But the kid didn't stop there. He'd schemed endlessly to beat someone that much stronger and actually pulled it off. In a situation where most would've quit, he'd dragged it to a draw against Lee Geun-taek.
'Maybe the real monster is that little guy.' Lee Min-seok couldn't shake the feeling he'd just witnessed a new star's birth.
"Hoo..."
It was close. If he'd twisted just enough to dodge the spear and throw the bomb, it could've been a clean win. Still, this was good enough.
Even starting in 3rd Division now, he'd appealed plenty to the viewers. I'm Lee Chang-hyun, and this is what I do.
Anyway, Lee Geun-taek had some conscience—he'd probably count this as a win for the bet, right? Messing up the plan to join PER and recruit his team would suck... Guess he'd have to hash it out later.
'Even if Lee Geun-taek had the edge, the judgment against him was a draw.'
As he thought that, the others emerged from the waiting room.
"What're you mulling over? Can't you celebrate a bit more?"
"It's a draw with Association President Lee Geun-taek—what's to celebrate?"
"...You didn't hear?"
"Hear what?"
Yoon Han-gyeol smirked slyly and sighed. "Never mind..."
Lame. He'd always said half-assed explanations were no way to live, but here he was doing exactly that.
Kim Jin-seung, Kim Do-jun, and the rest came out too, buzzing with energy—clearly riding the high of the successful match.
They gathered, prepped, and headed back out. There stood Lee Geun-taek in a sharp suit, like he'd changed in a flash, along with the judges.
'Time to wrap up the finale, huh.' He wasn't nervous. Even if they were biased, they'd have to give him the award... right?
But his heart pounded anyway.
"Do you know how many people awaken each year? About 100,000, regardless of age. And they all dream once: 'I want to be a hunter.' But it's a tough job. Even for sports pros in the Hunters League, not frontline Tower raiders."
As Jo Ah-ra spoke, a hole opened in the central hall, and a massive trophy rose up.
"Hunters must be brave. Wise. Strong. Hardworking... And that's not all. They need 'luck' too. Only those with it all become true hunters. And today, one more has proven it on Hunters, The Next Generation."
Clack. Clack. Jo Ah-ra stepped forward to the trophy.
Then.
"Lee Chang-hyun."
He bolted to her instinctively—he knew he had to.
"Congratulations. You were the greatest hunter on Hunters, The Next Generation."
"...Thank you."
His mouth felt glued shut. 'Too long since the last time.' Pride swelled in his chest. The pre-regression struggles flashed back, leaving him bittersweet.
The stage rolled on regardless. In his nerves, he nearly dropped the trophy Jo Ah-ra handed him.
"Relax."
Jo Ah-ra chuckled softly. Such a rookie mistake—for someone who'd lifted trophies countless times pre-regression, his cheeks burned red.
But he gripped it firm with both hands and raised it high.
Man... it had been a while.
After winning Hunters, The Next Generation, the next few days were a whirlwind. Spotlights poured in like they'd been waiting, a fresh thrill.
'Winning an audition show feels different from just a league win...'
Even the perks were diverse: interviews, custom weapons from Moras Workshop—the schedule was packed.
Personally, he had to meet Lee Geun-taek too. No rest.
In the chaos, he realized how much his post-regression life had changed.
First, his parents. Mom, once skeptical and opposed, had flipped completely.
"Kid, I can't even express how proud I am. We watched with the relatives—everyone was blown away. And they barely knew Hunters League before."
Dad said less, but couldn't hide his joy. No worried frown—just a subtle smile tugging at his lips.
"He won't show it to you, but your dad was the most hyped. 'That's my son!' Bragging to his friends nonstop. They'll know your name even if they don't follow hunters."
And it wasn't just them. The practical stuff—hunter money, gear—was covered by Moras sponsorship. Relief.
When he casually mentioned the contract terms, his parents beamed, unable to hide it.
It stirred old memories. 'Things were rough back then.' Scraping into low leagues on bad terms, worrying them sick. Future uncertain.
Comparing hit different now. A quiet confidence: things were heading better post-regression.
That was the vibe.
Post-finale, priorities piled up—but team-building topped the list. It was just an amateur win. Now the real starting line.
And his first target: PER, under Lee Geun-taek's control.
That's why he was meeting him now. Contacted via the business card from before; the spot was a Hunter Association office.
'Fancier than expected.' Standard desks and gear, but huge—took constant calls to navigate.
"Welcome, Chang-hyun."
Lee Geun-taek greeted with his usual hearty chuckle. That smile brought back the match's ferocious play.
'Chill grandpa vibe turns beast mode...' The gap would take getting used to.
"Tea?"
"...Might be a long talk. Sure."
"So, what's up?"
Lee Geun-taek feigned ignorance—the old fox playing coy for negotiation edge.
"I won. Here for PER."
"PER? Hmm... Calling it your win is a stretch. Used giants... and our duel was basically a draw."
Hah... The geezer always smiled but never folded easy. Even after that performance.
Part of him wanted to snap: Embarrassed a 1st-gen got pushed to a draw by an amateur? But that was loser's talk.
In this tug-of-war, poise mattered.
"Fair enough. I'm out."
Better to bail clean. The original deal—him joining PER—was already a win for Lee Geun-taek. No reason not to bend.
Sure, it included broad ops rights... but his performance demanded a welcome with open arms.
As he rose, Lee Geun-taek grabbed his wrist.
"Haha... Young folks are fierce. Can't even joke. We're on the same boat now."
Predictable. The one left standing loses.
"So..."
"Take PER. That match? Impressed me for real."
Lee Geun-taek's smile held a chill edge—bittersweet, maybe bested by time's flow.