Each One's Training
Hunter Union Training Facility. The name alone might make you think it was just a gym packed with equipment, maybe with a sparring area tacked on for fights. But the bigger the scale, the more special features it packed. The spot where Lee Chang-hyun had shoved Yi Yeon-ju was no different.
A training option most folks stuck to basic drills never bothered with. A dungeon exploration program designed for "scouts."
Yi Yeon-ju had probably pictured standard training facilities... but stepping inside revealed something totally different, leaving her flustered enough to yell back out.
"What the heck is this?"
Of course, answering wouldn't carry inside... but since she'd asked, it was only right to reply.
"Survive five minutes in a dungeon."
It was a kind of dungeon simulation where monsters and AI from the maps attacked relentlessly. Naturally, none of them were enemies Yi Yeon-ju could defeat with her current skills. It was purely a survival battlefield—just dodge and evade, nothing more.
How she dodged? Whatever worked. Survival itself was the key skill for her, the one who needed to support from anywhere while under fire.
"Stick to this on repeat today."
Her scream echoed faintly, but he couldn't babysit her all day. He quickened his pace to the next team member.
"Chang-hyun. Do we really need to convert Yeon-ju into a full supporter? I mean, her only support skill is position tracking."
Ah... right, Lee Jong-gyu was here too. Making decisions solo meant forgetting to loop him in.
But explaining Yi Yeon-ju's hidden potential to him? Not ideal.
Hunters always lose the more their specific abilities get exposed...
If word got out he could spot potentials, rival teams would swarm every recruit he eyed. Better to spin it vaguely, with a plausible excuse.
"Who's our main ranged dealer?"
"You, obviously."
"Right. I'm in 3rd Division league, but I've got solid firepower that holds up. What about Yeon-ju?"
"Yeon-ju..."
Lee Jong-gyu trailed off. Comparing her arrows to Lee Chang-hyun's ether-enhanced gunshots? Hers were basically nonexistent.
You could only compare equals. Nodding was inevitable.
"Bows demand way more mastery than close dealers' weapons. Without ranged dealer skills, mana shields block you cold. Her current bow proficiency? Basically zero. At pro level now, grinding won't catch her up to others. So yeah, I'm enough for ranged. Better to max her one working ability."
Lee Jong-gyu had to buy that. But a scoff came from behind—Lee Min-sol, tailing them.
He glanced back, baffled. She pretended not to follow...
Why the hell is she sticking around...?
Hunters had their weirdos; hard to read their minds sometimes.
Next up: Yi Gil-han. Not far off, in a massive open chamber. His ranking match played out.
Opponent: a ranged dealer. It turned into tag—Yi Gil-han charging to close distance and pressure, foe keeping range with steady [Curving Arrows], stacking damage.
The chase dragged, but too many hits felled Yi Gil-han. Defeat.
Yi Gil-han emerged from the ranking room, face sour.
At least his competitive fire's still burning.
Not rock bottom. But reviewing it, he needed less real combat, more "thinking power." Blind charges screamed poor instincts last match too—and ranking fights showed it.
"Ah... Chang-hyun."
Spotting him and Coach Lee Jong-gyu, he approached first. Still down from the poor showing.
"Don't sweat it. I see you as our highest growth potential."
Yi Gil-han's eyes widened in surprise.
"Your raw power's solid. Stats aren't bad... just timing on skills and movement sense lacking. Skip matches for now. Focus on thinking. Watch similar players over doing ranking yourself. Start with Kim Han-gil, top melee tank at [4813 points]."
Yi Gil-han nodded stiffly.
"And yeah, to check if you're really getting it... write analysis reports. Every. Single. Match."
His face twisted grotesquely. Made sense—never analyzed others' games before.
But primary: make him puzzle out melee tank instincts himself. Secondary: correct his thinking. Reports unavoidable.
Leaving Yi Gil-han, he checked Kim Do-jun, Yoon Han-gyeol, and Han Ji-su.
Kim Do-jun, bummed from last match's flop, asked for special tactics. Tipped him to try the weapon glow effect in a pinch, as planned.
Yoon Han-gyeol and Han Ji-su? Talented from the start—high ranking scores.
Yoon Han-gyeol
Han Ji-su
New to the team and ranking matches today, jumping 1000 to 1600-1800 points in a day...
They'll hold up even in pro leagues.
Least worry on the roster. Without bomber combo, they'd carry hardest. Some relief.
No big advice needed; watched their matches briefly, then back to the break room.
"Ji-su and Han-gyeol can ace it. But no tips for them?"
"They'll handle it. No need right now."
Looping the team clarified their power level objectively. Beating LTD or RIX in 3rd Division? Tough. But not bottom—solid mid-upper tier.
Bomber combo overperforming? Maybe higher. But tactics alone hit limits without basics.
Checked potentials to unlock some... none viable yet, except Yeon-ju.
Focus: base stats, team synergy, personal growth.
Oh... that Lee Min-sol tailing earlier? Gone now.
Not 1st Division; ignore for now. But why follow...?
Lee Min-sol was in top form today. Beat Kim Han-gil despite 8-2 record—tough matchup. And something intriguing popped up.
Post-1v1 with Kim Han-gil, she spotted the Lee Chang-hyun Jin Kyung-tae mentioned.
"Min-sol. I know it's nuts, but... Takumi lost to some 3rd Division guy named Lee Chang-hyun. For real. I saw it."
Unbelievable. She'd flunked Korea's rep selection; some 3rd Division scrub beating Japan's rep-team ranged dealer who crushed Korea's squad? Even if lucky one-off, no way.
1st vs 3rd Division gap was massive.
LTD topping 3rd says it all.
LTD: shaky 1st Division mid-lower. Their sub-league? Obvious.
Intrigued, she tailed for his ranking match.
Well, well?
Realized: he wasn't just a player. Jin Kyung-tae said he coached too—sounded absurd, but...
He's legit coaching one-on-one?
As a pro with full staff—coaches, director, analysts—she was floored. Who ran teams so haphazardly? Not hers, though.
Eavesdropping, his advice sounded solid. Matched her team's expert prescriptions...
Checked players' abilities, team fits methodically. Professional vibe, squeezing strengths from misfits.
Revised judgment.
Hm... not total hacks. Most coaches are ex-pros or 1st-gen anyway; player-coaching isn't crazy...
Surprisingly savvy. Seasoned, like years analyzing others.
Still 3rd Division. Not standout per Jin Kyung-tae. Hadn't seen his matches, but top 1-3 in 3rd? Nah for that team. Obvious level.
Why'd Jin hype him? Kids and their drama.