Kim Jin-seong’s Observation of Wiji Yeon
S-class hunter and guild master of the Suryong Guild, Kim Jin-seong.
This was his first morning in the Heavenly Demon Sect guild.
Kim Jin-seong had come to Seoul to investigate the darkness surrounding Lee Myeong-won, but assessing the danger level of the “Wiji Yeon” test subject girl was also one of the important tasks he had to handle.
Kim Jin-seong flipped through the documents.
Today’s schedule began with reviewing the joint investigation team’s report.
Kim Na-yeon took a sip of the coffee Kim Jin-seong had brewed, making a contented sound as she savored it.
The fragrant aroma of the coffee filled the morning office.
The Kim Do-yoon and Kim Na-yeon sisters’ guild operated out of a somewhat worn building, yet it was fully equipped, including the kitchen.
Creak.
“Uhn.”
While Kim Jin-seong was reviewing his work, a raven-haired girl emerged from the inner office room, rubbing her eyes.
“Kkuk.”
Kim Jin-seong could not help but smile.
After all, the girl was wearing an adorable pajama set decorated with a cartoon black cat.
Whoosh.
Kim Na-yeon, who had gone to pour his coffee, rushed over and pushed the girl’s back.
“Did Yeon wake up? Come on, wash your face and brush your teeth first.”
“I’ll brush them.”
“Oh my, you can brush them by yourself now, can’t you?”
“I’ve been weak since yesterday.”
“Hah, I know. Just today?”
Smiling as if she could not possibly win, Kim Na-yeon led the mischievous-looking Wiji Yeon to the bathroom.
“Hmm.”
Kim Jin-seong stroked his chin and fell into thought.
Even the test subject girl Wiji Yeon had nothing strange about her at first glance—only an odd way of speaking.
From the very morning, this appearance looked like nothing more than a spoiled child.
“Uhn……”
A short while later, a snow-white-haired girl emerged from the same room where Wiji Yeon had been, rubbing her eyes.
Whoosh.
B-class hunter Kim Na-yeon had looked busy babysitting children since morning.
After coming out of the bathroom, Kim Na-yeon immediately latched onto the snow-white-haired girl.
“Did Da-yeon wake up too? Come on, Da-yeon, wash your face too.”
“Yes, unnie. Did Yeon sleep well? I was really worried because she’s been so weak ever since she came home yesterday.”
“The Heavenly Demon Sect’s young guild leader is supposed to not shed tears.”
“I don’t know. Yeon is such a fool!”
With her tiny hand, the snow-white-haired girl patted the black-haired girl’s chest.
Both girls, who had been adorably cuddling each other, suddenly looked toward Kim Jin-seong.
Kim Jin-seong smiled and waved his hand.
“Hello? Little ladies.”
“Eek.”
Only then did the snow-white-haired girl notice the presence of the strange man and hide behind Kim Na-yeon.
Wiji Yeon puffed out her chest and declared.
“Don’t worry. I am simply a martial artist who wants to join the Heavenly Demon Sect.”
“Haha, you haven’t even said you want to join yet……”
“Ah, hello. …I’m Lee Da-yeon.”
“You must be the young lady Da-yeon.”
“My name is Kim Jin-seong.”
The girl called Da-yeon whispered into Wiji Yeon’s ear.
“……Yeon-ah, that person is extremely gentlemanly.”
“Hmph. What do you mean by ‘young lady’? Young lady.”
Da-yeon seemed to like the word “young lady,” but Wiji Yeon scrunched her nose in displeasure.
Kim Jin-seong awkwardly smiled and tried to show his charm.
“Then, how should I address Wiji Yeon?”
“Call me ‘Jijon’ or ‘Cheonma-nim’.”
“Uhm…? Kkuk. Understood, Cheonma-nim.”
“Oh ho.”
A satisfied smile spread across Wiji Yeon’s face.
“You’re clever. Everyone calls me ‘Bonjwa’ as if I’m a child, yet here you are.”
“Jijon……?”
“That’s Kim Na-yeon. It suits me. You’re Kim Jin-seong, right? I grant you permission to observe the training of the martial artists in the Heavenly Demon Sect today.”
After breakfast, the girls’ morning routine immediately turned into training.
“Even if I watch as an outsider, is it all right?”
“Since Yeon said it’s fine, it should be.”
“……I feel like the final decision-maker in this guild is Wiji Yeon.”
“Do I seem that way? Kkuk, it might be true.”
Standing at the back of the training hall, Kim Jin-seong and Kim Do-yoon watched the three sisters sitting side by side in the center and exchanged trivial conversation.
“But what exactly are they doing?”
“Uhm…… They usually do it together, but Na-yeon said she started too…… Actually, I don’t really know. Something about breathing technique?”
“………”
Kim Jin-seong’s eyes grew deeper.
Breathing technique.
Was this how the girl Wiji Yeon was growing her strength?
Yet the two children and one woman simply sat quietly with their eyes closed. They did not move their bodies.
How much time passed?
“……!”
Kim Jin-seong’s eyes widened in shock.
“T-this……”
“Oh? You noticed? You really are an S-class hunter.”
“No way, mana flowing through the air?”
Kim Do-yoon nodded in response to Kim Jin-seong’s question.
Mana from the air was flowing in.
Into the bodies of the two children and one woman.
Following some inexplicable, strange flow, slowly……
“That’s right.”
Kim Do-yoon’s continuing words confirmed Kim Jin-seong’s suspicions.
“Yeon knows a method to accumulate mana from the air into her body and grow her abilities.”
After the long morning training session ended, Wiji Yeon, who remained in the training hall saying she had something to discuss alone, called Kim Jin-seong.
Fwoosh.
Wiji Yeon lightly jumped and perched on the windowsill, her short legs dangling as she smiled brightly at Kim Jin-seong.
“Well, did you enjoy the observation?”
“……How did you do it?”
“You speak as if you don’t know. You also know the method to grow your abilities, don’t you?”
“………”
Kim Jin-seong broke into a cold sweat.
The girl’s sparkling red eyes felt like she was peering directly into his insides.
No, this time it was not a feeling—it was certain.
Kim Jin-seong barely shook his head.
“But my……”
“I know. I noticed that the key part seems missing from the martial arts manual you’ve learned. Well, being able to reach the pinnacle of super peak just with that much must mean your innate talent played a big role.”
“……!”
Kim Jin-seong was even more astonished.
This girl knew how Kim Jin-seong had become strong and even knew the flaws in the abilities he had acquired.
Kim Jin-seong.
The driving force that had lifted him from B-class to S-class.
A ‘Level Upper’ obtained from a special gate.
But it was not an object—it was ‘ancient knowledge’ forcibly drilled into his mind.
“H-how do you know that? No, before that…… Who are you?”
The girl smiled brightly.
To an outsider, it was simply a cute smile.
But Kim Jin-seong felt something strange from that smile.
It was the smile of one who stood above all, one who was confident in their own power, one who ruled.
“I told you. I am the Heavenly Demon.”
“Heavenly Demon. Can I become even stronger?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
The girl now gave an impish grin.
“If you want to know how to become strong, join the Heavenly Demon Sect right now!”
After experiencing an odd event, Kim Jin-seong was left alone in the training hall where Wiji Yeon had departed.
Wiji Yeon’s proposal was like a devil’s whisper.
Of course, Kim Jin-seong’s desire to become even stronger burned as fiercely as ever.
S-class hunter, and beyond that—
The desire to open up a whole new frontier.
But he could not reject her proposal.
After all, he had a guild he needed to lead.
Afterwards, Wiji Yeon muttered things like “That’s why the guild leaders end up just being old men from the back rooms” and left.
“But……”
Even more troubling was what to do going forward.
The girl named Wiji Yeon, who knew how Kim Jin-seong had obtained his power, her knowledge in her head seemed related to the powers Kim Jin-seong and Lee Myeong-won had acquired.
Several decades ago, Kim Jin-seong and Lee Myeong-won had been classmates at the hunter academy.
And they had joined a special gate conquest operation together.
Many hunters had participated in the operation at the time, but only Kim Jin-seong and Lee Myeong-won had survived there.
And the power obtained at the end had made both of them S-class hunters.
Two Level Uppers emitting blue and red light, respectively—ancient knowledge drilled into their minds.
Of course, those items had not instantly turned them S-class.
The process of growing their power must have been different.
Different from himself, Lee Myeong-won had seemed to walk the path of a dark lord.
But it was impossible to think that a fresh young girl, even one who had been locked in a lab until just recently, had experienced something similar to the two hunters.
A girl who obtained ancient knowledge?
No.
It was not that kind at all.
It was as if the ancient knowledge itself had manifested into existence.
And those eyes—sly eyes that could not be mistaken for a naive child who had just entered the world.
“It seems I was right—she’s a dangerous existence.”
The power that could easily tear apart ancient species, endless strength.
That terrifying insight that easily saw through the origin of Kim Jin-seong’s power.
If that girl were left loose in the world like this, it could be dangerous.
Something had to be done.
Ku-dang-tang!
Just as Kim Jin-seong was lost in thought, a loud noise came from outside the training hall.
“Hey, Wiji Yeon! What kind of thing is picking only beans from the rice and eating it?!”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to eat it!”
Kim Jin-seong, who had rushed out into the hallway in panic, saw Wiji Yeon, who was wriggling while being held by Kim Na-yeon’s arm.
“Don’t be picky about your food or you won’t grow tall!”
“Uuh……! My body is showing a strong refusal reaction! Bring some sweets and snacks!”
This was the common sight of a household raising a child.
Wiji Yeon, who had been exuding an unprecedented aura in front of Kim Jin-seong just moments ago, was now throwing a tantrum while being picky about her food.
Kim Jin-seong stared with his mouth agape at the ridiculous scene.
“……So she’s not dangerous?”