Invest Wisely, Misunderstand Boldly

Invest wisely, misunderstand boldly. The hunter equipment specialty store, Ares. A luxury boutique where Korea's most renowned hunters came to outfit themselves with the finest gear. In the past, I wouldn't have even dared to step foot inside. I'd lost count of how many times the staff had chased me away with their glares while I lingered at the display windows, dreaming over the swords.

But today was different.

"Welcome, esteemed customer! How may I assist you?"

The man who appeared to be the manager rushed over, bowing at a perfect ninety degrees. His eyes weren't on my face—they were locked onto the black card in my hand.

It was the card Senior Lee Dohyun had casually tossed to me along with a check for a hundred million won. Since cashing the check would take time, he'd handed me this corporate card from the Daeseong Group and told me to swipe it for anything I needed right away.

The limit? Don't worry about something like that. Even if you spent your whole life swiping it, it wouldn't even make a dent in my allowance.

The image of him waving his hand in annoyance as he said those words was seared into my mind and refused to leave.

"I came to look at swords."

"Swords, you say? What style do you prefer..."

"Something sturdy. High mana conductivity, and one that will never break no matter what."

The manager's eyes sparkled at my answer.

"You've come to the right place. We received a new product just yesterday. It's the Cry Edge model crafted by Deutsche Steel—a luxury item even B-Class hunters love to use."

It was an insane price. In the past, I would have fainted just counting the zeros. But now I held the card of Korea's number one conglomerate in my hand.

"I'll take this one."

"An excellent eye! Shall I wrap it for you?"

"No. I'll wear it right away."

With trembling hands, I picked up the sword. It was heavy, but not in an unpleasant way. The grip fit my palm perfectly, as if the blade were an extension of my own arm. A sense of unity washed over me.

Shing.

The moment I drew the blade from its sheath, the air inside the store grew chillingly still. I carefully channeled my mana into it.

Vrrrrm—!

The blade vibrated with a low hum and radiated a blue glow. It was on an entirely different level from the cheap wooden practice swords or standard-issue iron blades I'd used before. Those would scream and shatter if I let even a little mana flow through them. This one drank in my power like a sponge, almost urging me to give more, as if asking whether that was truly all I had.

Ah...

A sigh of pure admiration slipped out.

I wasn't talentless after all. My mana was rough and explosive. The cheap weapons simply couldn't endure the output and broke apart. It was like trying to cram a sports car engine into a compact car and wondering why the whole thing fell apart.

Senior Lee Dohyun had known. When he looked at my old wooden sword and called it "trash," it wasn't an insult. It was an accurate diagnosis.

How did he know?

Even the professors hadn't realized. They only ever said I couldn't control my mana and kept breaking weapons, that I had no future. Yet he—who had only glanced at me from the corner of the training ground—had instantly seen my problem and handed me the solution.

"Senior Lee Dohyun..."

My chest swelled until it hurt. He hadn't simply given me money. He had given me back my life as a hunter, and the confidence I had lost long ago.

"Please process the payment."

I held out the card. The manager accepted it with both hands in perfect courtesy. In the mirror, I caught my reflection. I was still wearing my worn-out training clothes, but the famous sword at my waist made me look anything but shabby. My eyes shone with clear determination.

It was time to prove it. To show that his investment had not been a mistake.

I clenched my fist tightly.

Tomorrow was the practical evaluation for the ranking matches. I would show them all there.

The new Seo Yoona.

Going to school was always thrilling, and always exhausting.

The main gate of Daeseong Hunter Academy. The moment the luxury limousine glided to a stop, students parted like the Red Sea.

"Hey, hey. He's here."

"It's Lee Dohyun."

"Don't make eye contact. I heard a third-year senior who didn't greet him yesterday ended up half-crippled."

The whispers carried clearly through the car window. The rumors were vicious. Half-crippled? All I did was trip the guy. Sure, he got a four-week medical leave, but that was because he was pathetically weak, not because I was strong. After all, I was basically no different from an ordinary person with F-Class mana.

"We've arrived, young master."

The driver opened the rear door. I stepped out with a deliberately arrogant expression. The stares poured over me—fear, contempt, and envy all mixed together in those sticky gazes. I drank them in with pleasure.

Yeah. Keep being afraid.

In this world, weakness was a sin. Especially for someone like me who had nothing but money. The moment I looked like an easy target, I'd be devoured. It was far safer to be known as the crazy dog you should never mess with.

I draped my school jacket over one shoulder and walked down the hallway. With every step, conversations died instantly. At this rate I wasn't an outcast—I was basically king.

I opened the classroom door. The noisy chatter of Class A fell silent like a library. I glanced at the guys hogging the prime spot in front of the blackboard. They quickly avoided my eyes and slunk back to their seats.

I tossed my bag onto my assigned spot at the very back by the window and sat down. This seat was perfect. Easy to escape through the window in an emergency, and it gave me a full view of the entire classroom.

"Hmm."

I propped my legs on the desk and rested my chin on my hand. Time to review today's agenda.

First, check on Seo Yoona. I needed to confirm whether she'd used the money I gave her yesterday to buy proper equipment. The stronger she became, the higher my survival odds.

Next, scout new targets. Seo Yoona was a damage dealer. To protect me properly, I'd need a tank or a healer too. Thinking back on the original story, there was one freshman with insane healing talent. The only problem was that the guy's personality was a little... twisted.

Well, there's nothing money can't fix.

If money didn't work, I just had to spend more. That was my philosophy.

The front door slid open and the homeroom teacher walked in. Kang Cheolmin. A retired hunter famous for being a strict, no-nonsense instructor. To me, of course, he was just another salaried employee.

"Everyone in your seats. Morning assembly begins."

Kang Cheolmin rapped the lectern. His gaze swept across the room and stopped on me sitting with my feet up. His brow furrowed.

"Lee Dohyun. Take your legs down. Is this your living room?"

Oh. He actually had some spine today? Normally he just cleared his throat nervously because of the Daeseong Group.

I slowly lowered my legs and leaned back crookedly in my chair, then curled my lips into a smirk.

"Sorry, teacher. The desks are too small. Is the school budget that tight? There's barely room to stretch my legs."

Sharp inhales sounded throughout the classroom. Kang Cheolmin's face flushed red.

"Are you mocking me?"

"No, it's just a fact check. I donated quite a lot to the foundation recently, so I was wondering why they couldn't replace even one desk."

"......"

Kang Cheolmin shut his mouth. He had no comeback. The Daeseong Group owned forty percent of the school's shares. He knew that if I felt like it, I could change not just the desks but the color of the sofas in the staff lounge.

"Just teach the class. You're wasting time."

I yawned and turned my gaze out the window. Kang Cheolmin trembled with rage but forced himself to ignore me and opened the attendance sheet.

Stepped on him just enough.

These little displays of power were necessary. Otherwise people would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠look down on me.

I looked down at the training ground outside. In the distance, students were swinging swords. One figure stood out clearly—a female student with long black hair whipping through the air as she mercilessly beat a training dummy. It was Seo Yoona.

She bought it.

The sword in her hand flashed under the sunlight. I couldn't see the details from here, but the aura it gave off was completely different from yesterday. Every time she cut the dummy, a blue afterimage of mana lingered in the air.

She was doing well.

Then it happened. Seo Yoona suddenly stopped mid-swing and turned her head. As if sensing my gaze, she looked straight up at the third-floor classroom window where I sat.

Gasp.

Our eyes met. From this distance? She could see me? As expected of the future Sword Saint—her senses were monstrous.

I almost ducked behind the curtain but stopped myself. That would make me look pathetic.

Instead I brazenly rested my arm on the windowsill and looked down at her. I gave a small nod that said, Go on. Show me what you've got.

Seo Yoona's reaction was ridiculous. Her sweat-drenched face broke into a bright, radiant smile. She placed the hand holding her sword over her heart and bowed to me with perfect knightly respect. It was deep and reverent, like a knight swearing fealty to her lord.

"......She's fucking gorgeous."

If the guys in the classroom had seen that, they would have lost their minds.

It's a bit much.

It was probably just gratitude for the equipment, but her eyes were burning too intensely. She might actually bore a hole through me. Still, it was better than hostility.

I shrugged it off and flopped back down on my desk.

Lunchtime. The cafeteria was a battlefield, just like any Korean high school lunch period. Students waged war over the best menu items. None of that applied to me, of course.

I sat in the VIP lounge ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠partitioned off in the corner of the cafeteria. The seat was a special privilege given to me as the chairman's nephew. Before me was a perfectly cooked steak set prepared by a hotel chef. I was just about to slice into the juicy meat when—

Crash!

A loud commotion erupted near the entrance.

"Hey! Eyes off the floor much?"

It was a familiar voice. Park Chansu—the same bastard who had been harassing Seo Yoona at the training ground yesterday. The guy picked fights even during meals. Ruining my appetite.

I set my fork down in irritation and turned my head.

Park Chansu was blocking someone's path, tray in hand. It was Seo Yoona. The new sword hung at her waist, but her tray still held the same pathetic meal—rice, kimchi, and watery bean sprout soup. I gave her money. Why was she still eating like that? Had she spent everything on the equipment?

"Seo Yoona, where the hell did you get that money?"

Park Chansu pointed at the sword at her waist and shouted.

"That's a Cry Edge. Costs over fifty million won. How does trash like you afford something like that? Don't tell me you stole it?"

The surrounding students began to murmur. It was understandable. The school beggar suddenly carrying a luxury weapon was suspicious.

"I didn't steal it."

Seo Yoona answered stiffly.

"Then what? Kyaahaha, did you sell your body or something?"

Park Chansu cackled. It was a comment that crossed every line. A few of the male students nearby joined in the laughter.

At that moment, my brows furrowed deeply.

This bastard is dead.

He was insulting my investment. Seo Yoona was the cornerstone of my survival plan. Insulting her was the same as insulting my judgment. And above all, I couldn't tolerate anyone saying the equipment I bought with my money had been purchased by selling her body.

Just as I rose from my seat—

Clang—!

Seo Yoona's hand moved like lightning. Before her tray could even hit the floor, the tip of her scabbard slammed upward into Park Chansu's chin.

"Ugh!"

Park Chansu screamed and toppled backward. The entire cafeteria fell into dead silence.

Seo Yoona hadn't even drawn her sword. She'd sent the second son of a B-Class hunter family flying with nothing but the scabbard.

"If you ever..."

Seo Yoona looked down at him with icy eyes.

"Insult that person's goodwill again, I'll cut your tongue out."

That person? Was she talking about me?

Park Chansu clutched his jaw, trembling. The look in Seo Yoona's eyes was no longer the timid gaze from yesterday. It was the killing intent of a predator.

"And."

Seo Yoona swept her gaze across the cafeteria and declared,

"This sword was bestowed upon me by Senior Lee Dohyun. He invested in me because he believed in my potential."

Whoa. Crazy. Why the hell did she say my name?

Hundreds of students in the cafeteria turned to stare at me at once. Sitting in the VIP lounge, I was suddenly caught in the spotlight.

"Lee Dohyun?"

"That delinquent?"

"He sponsored Seo Yoona? Why?"

"Are they dating?"

The whispers exploded like a waterfall.

This was a disaster. I'd planned to manipulate things quietly from the shadows, but a massive scandal had erupted on day one.

Seo Yoona turned toward me and bowed with perfect poise.

"Enjoy your meal, senior."

Then she left the cafeteria without even picking up her fallen tray.

All that remained was Park Chansu clutching his dislocated jaw and hundreds of eyes staring blankly at me.

I gripped my fork so hard the steak turned to mush.

"......I'm going to get indigestion."

That girl had a much fiercer temper than I expected. Who called her a pushover? Her personality was actually impressive.

Still, a strange sense of satisfaction washed over me. Watching that bastard Park Chansu rolling on the floor felt incredibly refreshing. Above all, Seo Yoona's movement just now—that draw was nothing like her old self.

It's confirmed.

They say a craftsman doesn't rely on tools? Nonsense. A true craftsman benefits from good tools more than anyone. My investment had been a success.

Even if a weird rumor was about to spread across the entire school that Lee Dohyun was Seo Yoona's sponsor, so what? Having a strong ally on my side was all that mattered.

I shoved the crushed steak into my mouth and chewed. For some reason, it tasted even better than before.

Then my phone vibrated in my pocket. Caller ID blocked. But I had a pretty good idea who it was.

One of the main villains from the original story—an information broker from the back alleys. He was the second insurance policy I'd secured in advance.

I wiped my mouth with a napkin and stood up. I'd had enough of school life for today. It was time to step into the night world and take control.

Of course, I'd keep it secret from Seo Yoona. If she found out, who knew what misunderstanding she'd come up with and chase after me.

Meanwhile, Seo Yoona had slipped out of the cafeteria and was hiding behind a pillar in the hallway, breathing hard.

"Ha... ha..."

Her heart felt like it would explode. She had gone insane. What had she just done? Knocking Park Chansu to the floor and shouting Senior's name in front of the entire school!

But she couldn't hold back. She couldn't just stand there and listen to someone disparage the sword Senior had given her—the noble goodwill behind it—as nothing more than payment for selling her body.

He... won't be angry, right?

Seo Yoona cautiously peeked toward the cafeteria. Lee Dohyun was elegantly chewing his steak without the slightest sign of agitation. His calm demeanor seemed to say, Well done. That's exactly how my person should act.

Seo Yoona's face burned crimson.

As expected... he was watching.

He had been observing her even in the cafeteria. He had waited to see if she could handle the situation herself, ready to step in if she couldn't. When she sent Park Chansu flying, he had smiled in satisfaction.

I won't disappoint him.

Seo Yoona gently stroked the scabbard. The sword's official name was Cry Edge, but in her heart she gave it a new one.

Dohyun's Sword.

She was now his blade. Anyone who tarnished his honor would be cut down without mercy by this sword.

A dangerous ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠flame began to burn in her eyes.