059. The Gap in Experience
Hunter International League champion three times, Mid-Season Championship winner three times, KHL 1st Division League champion ten times, tournament MVP eight times total, All-Star Game winner four times, plus two other tournament victories... and numerous number one rankings in 3v3 Mini Hunters League and 1v1 Hunter Rankings.
That was my past before regression—the achievements I could boast about. The experience of overwhelming victory. A championship pedigree. And... the sense of how to win matches.
Even after regressing, I was confident no one could beat me with this. No matter how underdeveloped I was as a hunter now, with lacking stats or skills, that was a separate issue altogether.
In an instant, Ryu Jae-jun's face twisted in a grimace. He probably hadn't expected this while his guard was down.
'Of course, even if he'd known, he couldn't have reacted.'
I knew Ryu Jae-jun's abilities and weaknesses inside out. Even how to exploit them.
Wave: S+ was a great skill, no doubt, but with allies nearby, it required delicate control, taking time to cast. That made rash use risky.
Of course, now it was just me and him, changing the equation.
Before that thought could fully form, Ryu Jae-jun broke the standoff and moved. He struck first.
Centered on him, Wave: S+ radiated out in all directions.
'Always the easiest attack method for him.'
Omnidirectional assault, yet backed by his massive mana pool, it packed real power. That's why it was hard for me to clash head-on.
All I could do was deploy a mana shield forward to blunt the wave's damage as much as possible.
In that instant, the wave swept every direction from Ryu Jae-jun, and the room crumbled under the shock. The building's collapse from the powerful mana wave ironically opened an escape route.
With dual pistols in hand, no free hands for air anchors. Instead, I scattered air beats into the air, stepping on them to dash through the sky while descending.
As distance opened between Ryu Jae-jun and me, and space cleared, new options emerged.
'Suppressive fire for the win.'
If it didn't work, oh well—but outside Wave: S+'s range, yet within my shooting distance. Perfect range favoring me.
Bang!
Bang-bang! Bang! Rat-a-tat-tang!
But Ryu Jae-jun, predictably, didn't just take it. With both hands free, he scattered air beats into the air with one and flipped through the sky with an air anchor on the other.
'Experience doesn't fade.'
His aerial maneuverability rivaled mine, evoking old footage of Lee Geun-taek. Had to acknowledge what he'd learned from the master.
Bang!
Bang-bang!
Bang!
Hitting a guy zipping at top speed wasn't easy, even for me. And he wasn't just maneuvering...
'Gathering mana...'
Just like I'd taken out LTD members mid-flip with pistol fire, he was pooling mana in the air. Probably to detonate a powerful Wave: S+ from above.
And that was my opening.
I couldn't help but grin. The moment I'd been waiting for.
That's Ryu Jae-jun for you. He probably didn't realize PER started with six members when we burst in.
'Not his style to notice details like that.'
Ryu Jae-jun was the type to charge confidently no matter what the enemy prepared—"bring it."
Well, that's what let me exploit the gap this time.
"Yeon-ju. Ready?"
"Yes."
Yi Yeon-ju, waiting at the rearmost position. Time for her recently awakened skill, Binding: A+.
I'd briefed her: On my signal, bind his feet precisely from the backline.
Focusing mana meant divided attention elsewhere. Scattered air beats let me predict his path somewhat.
As Ryu Jae-jun paused mid-air to unleash Wave: S+ and step on the next air beat—
"Now!"
My voice echoed through the earpiece. The effect was immediate.
From empty air, black chains erupted, binding Ryu Jae-jun perfectly.
He flinched in surprise, struggling, but his aerial flow halted, if only for a moment. Unavoidable.
"...!"
He hadn't finished gathering mana for the wave yet. And now... immobilized.
Even mid-air, missing this shot would make my "Legendary Sniper" moniker a joke.
And naturally, it didn't miss.
Bang!
Bang-bang!
The pistols' crisp cracks ended the match.
Looking down, Yoon Han-gyeol—the sole survivor on our side—stared up, having done well himself.
Lee Geun-taek couldn't hide his shock at the match's outcome.
He'd thought it came down to mind games. The fierce psychological battle between Lee Chang-hyun and Ryu Jae-jun until the end was real enough.
But the match didn't end there. A turning point came from an angle Lee Geun-taek hadn't foreseen.
'In a pure 1v1, factoring matchups, I figured it'd be a battle of wits... but he hid an extra card.'
The critical moment: Ryu Jae-jun flipping to buy time. That's when Lee Chang-hyun played his hidden ace—Yi's "no-range-limit skill, Binding: A+."
It seemed like fair rock-paper-scissors, but Lee Chang-hyun had played two, hiding one.
'Yes... the experienced one avoids letting it hinge on a single mind game moment.'
And it yielded the best result. Made them believe it was a pure, perfect 1v1.
Hid the ability until then. Pulled it out at the absolute last second, when needed most.
That's why the tactic worked flawlessly. LTD's coaches undervalued Lee Chang-hyun's frontline skills beyond sniping and didn't know about Yi Yeon-ju's unlimited-range Binding: A+.
'Born knowing the timing of victory.'
Nothing else to say. Strong powers demand display—that's basic, and most crave it.
Reminded him of clashing with Lee Chang-hyun in Hunters - The Next Generation. Similar vibe then too.
The sense of knowing "how to win" better than anyone. No clue how a rookie had such veteran instincts, but he clearly did.
Anyway, a fascinating matchup.
'Re-jun's gonna be pissed to death...'
The kid never lost to peers growing up. Even in a team fight, this defeat would bruise his pride.
But he wasn't one to break. Next time he faced Lee Chang-hyun, he'd be stronger.
As Lee Geun-taek watched contentedly, his phone rang.
Jo Jun-ho.
He'd said he was looking forward to this match—must've watched live. No way he'd think a kid I raised would lose.
"Yeah. What's up this late."
"Saw Re-jun lose?"
"Like a sore thumb—think I'd miss his debut?"
"That guy's better than Re-jun. Bring him sometime. Yeon-hwa loved today's match too."
"Yeon-hwa? Haha, news to me. Sure, next chance I get."
No more chit-chat with Jo Jun-ho. Probably just excited, needed to talk to someone.
Watching a kid you raised grow was thrilling in its own way.
'Yeon-hwa wanted to see him, huh...'
Sounded like an interesting story. She never glanced at lower leagues before.
What wind blew this time?
After PER crushed LTD, the community was ablaze.
No one expected them to beat LTD—a dominant force in 3rd Division—despite PER's win streak.
And the top contributor? Undoubtedly Lee Chang-hyun.
His performance was dazzling beyond 3rd Division level, spawning a user column soon after.
The early game went as the analysis desk predicted. PER deployed their usual bomber tactics, seeming effective before LTD members grouped up.
However, LTD's hidden card, player Ryu Jae-jun's skill neutralized the bombers, handing momentum to LTD.
With bombers crippled, it shifted to teamfight phase.
And there, another upset: player Lee Chang-hyun's rampage. He dove their base alone, essentially wiping LTD's team...
[Omitted]
Thwack!
I smacked the back of Yoon Han-gyeol's head—even I cringed reading what he'd written.
'Unbelievable. What's this guy on?'
"Hey, Yoon Han-gyeol. Can't you skip the cringe fanfic?"
He glared, pocketing his phone, but the post stayed up, no doubt.
He looked wronged, but seriously—better if outsiders hyped us, not self-sucking like this.
As I eyed him like a weirdo, a Hunters League staffer entered with the other PER members.
MVP interview request.