057. The Flyer Above the Jumper
Ryu Jae-jun. Lee Geun-taek had taken him in without much thought at first.
He was just a kid living comfortably with his parents in the Tower's safe zone. At least until the safe zone suddenly collapsed and monsters came pouring down. He probably hadn't been much different from any other ordinary boy before that.
Having lost his parents, the kid wanted revenge on the monsters. But he was barely a teenager, and a newly awakened one at that. There was no way he'd stand a chance. Lee Geun-taek had snatched him back just as he was about to charge recklessly at the monster in blind hatred. That was how it all began.
'Time has flown since then...'
Fueled by that hatred, the boy grew rapidly as a hunter. But by the time he matured, the Tower dungeon had already been cleared. His hatred lost its direction, plunging him into severe depression. Eventually, he even left Lee Geun-taek's home.
Lee Geun-taek didn't go looking for him. One had to find their own path in life, their own purpose. Even if the boy never found it and took his own life, Lee Geun-taek would feel a momentary melancholy, then accept it calmly.
Yet here he was now, right in front of him—having joined LTD and making his move.
On the other hand, Lee Chang-hyun. Interestingly, his opponent was the very one who had pulled Lee Geun-taek out of his long-lost will to live, the monotonous routine that had been withering him away like time itself.
'It's not that the chairman chose me—it's that I chose the chairman.'
Thinking back on that moment still filled his chest with emotion. Arrogant punk. In his prime, blood boiling, Lee Geun-taek might have kicked him square in the ass. But for some reason, with everything inside him burned to ashes, that arrogance felt like a new spark of life.
He still couldn't stop smiling at the memory. He'd thought he'd seen it all—battled through every storm life could throw—but apparently, there were still wonders left in the world.
Both Lee Chang-hyun and Ryu Jae-jun.
Such brief reminiscences aside, the cold question of who would win was intriguing.
Lee Geun-taek had faced Lee Chang-hyun once in a match before, so he had a rough idea. Ryu Jae-jun he had taught himself in his early childhood, so he knew him a bit too.
Ryu Jae-jun's signature skill was Wave: S+. It consumed massive mana, but the payoff was equally immense. It unleashed powerful mana waves omnidirectionally from his center, striking everything around him. Like a living mana bomber that could even distinguish between enemies and allies.
And sure enough, that skill soon unfolded before Lee Geun-taek's eyes in a most impressive fashion.
PER's famed "bomber combo"—the ego swords paired with mana bombers—exploded mid-air before they could even close in, unable to withstand the shock of Ryu Jae-jun's mana waves.
'Lee Chang-hyun won't go down easy... but that must've hit them hard.'
His surrogate grandson, whom he'd thought lost—he was standing tall again, putting on a hell of a show. How could Lee Geun-taek not smile?
'Show that arrogant bastard what you're made of.'
A childlike curiosity bubbled up in him—what would happen if these two he knew clashed? His face twisted into a mischievous grin, fist clenching tight.
This was fun. Well, truth be told, he didn't care who won.
***
"Chang-hyun!!"
The moment the mana bombers detonated in mid-air, a teammate's panicked voice called out to me. God, I wasn't their damn mother—why did they always come running to me at every little thing?
I've told them over and over: we can't rely on this tactic forever.
"Don't sweat the failure. I said not to overthink every little thing."
Sigh. These kids lacked real win experience, and now that we'd climbed up here, there were a million things I had to direct them on.
"Anyway, we've taken out two with the mana bombers, so it's 7 vs. 5 now. We're favored in an all-out brawl. Stick to the plan I laid out before."
"Okay."
"Got it."
Leaving Yi Yeon-ju at the rearmost position, Han Ji-su and Yoon Han-gyeol rejoined in a flash. The enemy side, meanwhile, showed no movement at all. Like they were waiting for the frontal clash.
'Sigh... They trust Ryu Jae-jun, and LTD's no stranger to comebacks.'
Most LTD matches started at a disadvantage but ended in victory. Their teamwork and individual prowess put them at the top of the 3rd division league.
And that confidence let them bide their time even after losing two early. Especially now, with Ryu Jae-jun nullifying ranged mana bomber snipes. A direct frontal assault was our only option left.
"Charge!"
Before the dust from the mana bombers could settle, the five PER members excluding me and Yi Yeon-ju surged forward.
The building turned into a battlefield in seconds.
From my sniper vantage outside, Piercing Eye had already spotted two PER deaths and one LTD casualty.
'LTD's got real depth...'
They weren't pushovers. Our team had climbed relying almost solely on the bomber combo, while they played straight-up fundamentals. In a proper team fight, their strength shone.
And in this head-on clash, it was on full display. The silver lining? Enemies and allies were tangled so tightly that Ryu Jae-jun couldn't unleash his Wave: S+ for area damage.
After a few support shots, I watched our team drop one by one and knew I had to adapt.
Firing threatening shots inside the building was tricky anyway. I'd thought our recent top-3rd-division form would hold, but apparently not.
I switched my weapon from sniper rifle via Magic Engineering Weapon Conversion: A to dual pistols. Perfect for close quarters—high mobility, compact size for quick turns.
Last match, I'd stuck to bombers sniping outsiders, so it had been ages since I used these.
'Feels like forever... Maybe the last time was sniping clones in the Hunter audition prelims.'
But proficiency wasn't the issue. Just situational.
Gripping the dual pistols, I air-anchored straight into the building.
***
Before the match, Ryu Jae-jun felt a twinge of tension.
He'd built his hunter strength on hatred for the Tower, but now that goal was gone.
His new fixation? The Hunters League. Killing beasts was similar, but now against people.
He needed something to obsess over again.
'Shame it's just nobodies.'
3rd division league, after all. Even elite LTD took him easily, recognizing his talent and slotting him into the starting lineup fast.
Smooth sailing, he thought.
And today's match proved it. PER's tactic that had LTD staff tense—what was it? Bomber combo? Yeah. He'd shattered it effortlessly.
One gesture from him, and the mana waves swept them away. Hollow victory, but it confirmed 3rd division was just a stepping stone.
Ryu Jae-jun didn't know the world well, but he knew his place and power clearly.
After the bombing failed, they predictably charged head-on.
Stuck with him: one flying-sword guy, one gravity tweaker.
Swords whizzed threateningly. He dodged a straight thrust by tilting his head—hair sheared off.
'Pretty sharp for 3rd division...'
Not just the swords. Dodging left, intense gravity nearly yanked him down.
...That guy over there.
No issue. He'd seen worse. Lee Geun-taek's training, his hunter grind—it was child's play compared.
Swords aimed at front and blind side. In the cramped building, he acrobatted over them.
Then air beat to slip the gap, closing in instantly.
Shocked faces. Normal reaction.
Hands clapped together—Wave: S+ erupted. Repulsive force raged outward.
All in a blink. Fluid as water, natural as breathing.
"Gah...!"
Flying swords and gravity presses were novel, but to a battle-hardened vet like him? No sweat. Basics from Lee Geun-taek endured.
Around him, same story. Some LTD down, but more PER.
'Yeah... They said without the bomber crap, nothing special.'
Yawn-worthy easy.
Or so he thought.
"...?"
Thought everyone was out for the brawl, but one held back?
Whatever—match nearly wrapped. No game-changer.
A few LTD already eyeing him, prepping ambush.
'I've done my part. Time to watch.'
New to LTD, he'd barely seen team matches. Curiosity piqued.
At least at first.
First charger: classic LTD melee—one-hand sword, one-hand shield. Name? Forgotten.
Supporter lining up Area Binding: A.
Mobility gone, outnumbered? Easy pickings.
So he figured.
But the guy sniffed the binding, scattered air beats, zipped insanely fast indoors.
'Not random...'
Like a scripted path—from door to Ryu Jae-jun's inner desk.
Not just moving—firing nonstop.
Bang! Bang-bang! Bang!
Blurring speed on air beats, muzzles blazing. LTDs crumpled.
Charger included.
In that instant, realization hit.
His hunter instincts screamed.
This guy. Maybe his equal—or better.