Finding Hidden Potential
Hunter battles definitely had all the elements to draw crowds. Unlike traditional martial arts, they allowed for flashy, pulse-pounding fights. That meant a ton of different events. And if you had to pick the ones with the most players, there were three big ones.
The ultra-major league that I was most invested in: the 7v7 Regular Hunters League. Then there was the somewhat niche 3v3 Survival Mini Hunters League, which had a dedicated fanbase despite its smaller scale. And finally, the 1v1 Ranking Matches that my teammates were grinding right now at the training facility.
Unlike the Regular or Mini Hunters Leagues, 1v1 Ranking Matches didn't have fixed broadcast times. They only aired top-rated games until the official ranking title matches kicked off. Of course, none of my teammates were in the top ratings yet, so I had to come down here in person to watch.
Man, it's packed today...
"Coach Lee Jong-gyu. It's the weekend—did some big names from 1st or 2nd Division show up?"
"Well..."
Ah, no need to ask.
The massive screen right in front of us was broadcasting a top-rated 1v1 ranking match.
Kim Han-gil
Mid-Range Dealer
Lee Min-sol
Hoo...
It was a matchup between two players who'd maintain solid form into the future, sticking around in the 1st Division leagues. Sure, by the time I reached the top, they'd be dipping between 1st and 2nd Division, but still.
Kim Han-gil, who would later be known as "Knight," versus Lee Min-sol, the "Chain Bomber." Pretty intriguing. Both were active pros in the 1st Division right now, so it was fun to watch.
The moment the match started and they respawned, Kim Han-gil—shield in one hand, sword in the other—blasted toward Lee Min-sol with his [Swiftness] skill. Probably to avoid getting caught in her rhythm of mass-split Mana Bombers.
But it took only a split second for that to fall apart.
Lee Min-sol activated her [Unique Mana: Firepower Enhancement] trait, turning her Mana Bombers into acceleration explosives. The blast propulsion shot her away in an instant.
From there, it was one-sided. Relentless Mana Bomber barrages that made it impossible to advance. Kim Han-gil blocked them all with his shield, inching forward step by grueling step—only to hilariously lose a leg to a buried landmine explosive, ending the game right there.
"Ooooh!!"
Cheers erupted as the match ended. The watching hunters buzzed with heated discussion, and Coach Lee Jong-gyu was no exception.
"Kim Han-gil had the higher score, but Lee Min-sol dominated."
"Hm... not quite. It wasn't that overwhelming."
"..."
"If Kim Han-gil had cleared those acceleration explosives on his first approach, or stuck to her just once more, he'd have won outright."
Yeah. In the Hunters League, ranking matches highlighted matchups and counters like nothing else. Lee Min-sol's arsenal was Mana Bombers and firepower buffs—devastating, but useless up close where her combat power tanked. Kim Han-gil, meanwhile, could block with his shield while slashing with his sword, overwhelming her in melee.
Their fight boiled down to closing the gap: success meant domination; failure meant a stomp.
To a casual viewer, it'd just look like Lee Min-sol crushed him... but in reality, it was a razor-thin margin.
As I broke down the match with Coach Lee Jong-gyu, Lee Min-sol emerged from the arena and glanced my way.
Short as a kid from a distance. Dressed in a kindergarten explosion of colors, she waddled over.
"What division? What team? What's your rating?"
Her lips were pursed—she must've overheard my close-call comment and gotten salty. Fair enough. Winning big only to hear it was a nail-biter? No one likes that.
"3rd Division, PER, 1,000 points."
She snorted. 1,000 was the starting rating for newbies; she'd just hit mid-4,700s.
Sigh... can't exactly tell her I was the first in the world to break 8,000 before regressing...
It'd sound ridiculous. Especially since, with my current skills, I knew I could beat her. The matchup favored me hard.
But I was here to check on my team, not pick fights. I'd already burned enough time watching matches.
I brushed off her mocking snort and headed for Yoon Han-gyeol's match. But... Lee Min-sol was toddling after me?
Stop, and she stops. Turn around, and she pretends to look elsewhere. Walk again, and she's back on my tail. Like a duckling following its mom.
No clue what her deal was. Top hunters were all weirdos anyway.
Not my problem.
***
With my new tail named Lee Min-sol in tow, I checked on Lee Yeon-ju first. She worried me more than Kim Do-jun or Yoon Han-gyeol, whom I'd seen before. And my hunch was spot-on.
It was a sigh-worthy performance. She ran around firing her bow but didn't land a single hit, and she gave up distance too easily, racking up losses.
No one she could beat 1v1.
Well... the Hunter Union Training Facility is shared by 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Division players. And she's bottom-tier even in 3rd...
Couldn't just leave her like that, though. After her next loss, I approached.
She'd noticed me watching—avoiding eye contact, face flushing.
Embarrassed, huh...
Yeah, I'd be mortified too. But that wasn't the point. The key was spotting each member's flaws and fixing them.
"Lee Yeon-ju, how long have you been using a bow?"
She nodded silently.
Sigh... knew it. Stuck teaching ranged dealer basics from scratch.
Accurately pinpoints the positions of nearby opponents.
Fires arrows in rapid succession.
Temporarily binds living beings at a designated location.
Binding...
Never imagined seeing that skill here. And not just any rank—an A+. Binding living things at a "designated location" suggested unlimited range potential.
This was huge. Unlocking it would be a game-changer, 100%.
If I didn't know Binding was her hidden potential, fine—but now that I do, we need to pivot her direction.
Normally, I'd start with ranged dealer fundamentals: infusing arrows with mana, plotting escape routes, agile shooting. Tons to teach.
But with [Binding: A+] and [Position Detection: B-], no need. She didn't have to be a ranged dealer anymore.
Realizing that, I paused mid-sentence, thought it over, then continued.
"I think your talent lies more in [Position Detection: B-] than the bow itself. Like a rear-guard supporter spotting for the team, not a straight DPS?"
"But... Position Detection alone doesn't do anything..."
In team fights, she'd shone as part of the bomber combo last time. But 1v1? Useless non-combatant.
Unlock [Binding: A+], though, and she could chain invisible feet from the backline. A dream supporter skill.
Problem is unlocking that hidden potential...
Knowing it made methods pop to mind. Pre-regression, the Awakener Advancement Institute published annual unlock conditions for known skills.
But not here, not now. It'd take dedicated effort to meet the conditions slowly.
And no need to rush anyway...
I'd told Coach Lee Jong-gyu we needed new tactics beyond bombers, but honestly? As the guy who designed it, I knew one-tool teams were still strong.
Unlocking at home later. For now, teach her what she needed.
"You're already a huge help, even if it feels like nothing. You're our radar—pinpointing teammates and enemies for intercepts right from the start."
She relaxed a bit, glancing down, relieved.
Carrot given. Time for the stick. A human radar was a waste if she could do more.
"That said, settling for this won't cut it. Our goal isn't topping 3rd Division—it's higher. Gotta boost your value, make your parents proud, right?"
Yeah. Even if traded or transferred midseason, we needed her worth enough to snag upgrades.
Sticking with the current roster to the end is fine, but I didn't regress for playground games.
Whether she sensed my thoughts or not, her touched expression was awkward... but win-win was win-win.
"Anyway, what you need now isn't 'ranged dealer' skills—it's 'supporter' or 'scout' abilities."
"...Scout?"
Hunters League was built on 7v7, but not just brawls. Tower dungeons demanded map knowledge, exploration. Flashier finals amplified scouting's role.
"—Like this kind of training."
For the first time, Lee Yeon-ju encountered something truly suited to her at the Hunter Union Training Facility.