Chapter 102. First Opponent Is Already C-Class
Chapter 102. First Opponent Is Already C-Class
Once the preliminaries ended, the internet was flooded with talk about Lee Chae-hyun.
Everyone naturally assumed she would advance to the main tournament.
But the way it happened was the issue.
[ Author: Anonymous ]
[ Title: The Lee Chae-hyun Passing Controversy? ]
[ Content: Title is clickbait lol
I knew she'd pass since Unknown trained her, but I didn't think it'd be like this lmaooo ]
└ Came here ready to cuss you out just from the title, goddamn lol
└ But isn't that just using your head? It's not against the rules.
└ OP: Anonymous Yeah, the only people complaining were the ones who got knocked out in prelims lol
└ But she only passed because it was prelims. Main tournament was one-on-one. How's she supposed to hold out?
└ Just run around for a speed win and tire them out?
└ She's crazy fast for an E-rank, true, but there were C-ranks here too.
└ Yeah, that guy from Heukpae Guild alone was hella fast. Can't even run in the arena anyway.
Meanwhile, conspiracy theories began to surface in some corners.
Rumors that the officials showed her "favoritism" because they heard Lee Chae-hyun was competing.
But those opinions were buried as if they held no weight at all.
[ Author: Anonymous ]
[ Title: But what if Lee Chae-hyun actually gets first place? ]
[ Content: You never know what could happen, right? It was said the Saintess herself taught Lee Chae-hyun a finishing move. ]
└ lmaoooo like an E-rank using a finisher means anything, you moron
└ Hey, maybe it's a billion-times Kaio-ken for real, lol
└ If Lee Chae-hyun really takes first, I'll get a Brazilian wax and post proof lol
└ No one wanted your proof lol
└ If she actually gets first, things would get crazy with all the guilds trying to scout her, right?
└ But seeing as how she came out representing Hanul Guild, she probably won't go anywhere else?
└ Who knew, she might go if they offer a shitload of money?
└ If she really gets first, people would re-evaluate Hero and the Saintess anyway. It's not just that they're strong, but they could make other Hunters strong too.
└ Right, solo army possible?
└ Yeah, just grab some E-rankers and mass-produce an infinite number of them.
People were curious.
Just how far could Lee Chae-hyun, who had reached the main tournament, really go?
---
At that moment, Song Hoon, Laila, and Lee Chae-hyun were in the training hall.
Lee Chae-hyun was already lying on the ground, gasping for air as if completely exhausted.
"Huff... huff...!"
"That's enough. Your body won't hold out any longer."
She only nodded, as if she didn't even have the strength to answer.
Laila crouched beside her, wiping her forehead with a towel.
"Chae-hyun, this is literally your hidden trump card. You can't use it twice."
"Huff... yes... Big Sis...!"
At Laila's playful words, Lee Chae-hyun barely managed a reply with just her breath.
In the corner of the training hall, I was sitting at a desk, flipping through the papers spread out on the table.
It was an analysis report on the tournament's final-round participants, prepared by my mother, the master of Hanul Guild.
The first one was the man she had encountered once in the preliminaries.
Heukpae Guild — Jang Yun-jae.
Calm situational judgment and swift positional awareness.
An assassin-style fighter who uses a dagger, highly specialized in one-on-one duels.
And the next was a participant from Baekho Guild, picked as a strong candidate to win this tournament.
'He used a sword, huh?'
He was a standard martial-arts type Hunter, with a balance of technique and weight.
Every slash, thrust, and movement was refined like a textbook example.
His style was less about tricky attacks and more about overwhelming opponents with perfect fundamentals and disciplined training.
'A candidate to win... In a way, he's the polar opposite of Lee Chae-hyun.'
Her strength was precisely her unorthodox abilities.
If she could mess with his pace using an unusual strategy, she had a chance.
But if she failed, she would just be overwhelmed by his attacks.
"Hm...?"
Unaffiliated — Kim Do-hyun.
A style of fighting by reinforcing his body with mana.
No particular tactical approach; he fights based on instinct.
Strong showmanship suited for broadcasting, and surprisingly high adaptability.
Having recovered some energy, Lee Chae-hyun and Laila came over when they saw my reaction.
"Oh? Are those the documents your mother brought this time?"
"Yeah."
I replied, handing the documents to Lee Chae-hyun, who would be competing directly.
She flipped through the pages, trying hard to cram the information into her head.
"But were you surprised by Kim Do-hyun?"
"Well, it wasn't exactly surprise..."
"Now that I look, he's your first opponent, right?"
In the main tournament, Lee Chae-hyun's first opponent was Kim Do-hyun.
"Did it surprise you because of that?"
"No, the name just seemed weirdly..."
Lee Chae-hyun looked at me, as if she just remembered something.
"Director... that time when you two went to the restroom..."
"Ah... I remember who it is now."
The guy who was talking to Lee Chae-hyun that other time.
I didn't know the specifics, but I figured he was probably hitting on her.
"Director, even so, I think I have a real shot."
After reading Kim Do-hyun's profile, Lee Chae-hyun actually spoke with confidence.
It didn't sound like bluster; she was genuinely certain.
"He's a body reinforcement type. I just need to not get caught and drag it into a long fight."
Dodge and strike.
Lee Chae-hyun's words were correct.
Easier said than done, though...
"But you get caught even once and it's over, right?"
"Big Sis's attacks were much faster and stronger. But he's only C-rank, not even a high-rank Hunter. And when it comes to body reinforcement, I'm confident."
In truth, even if she said getting caught meant the end, a C-rank body enhancer would still give her at least one more chance if she did get hit, because he was a strike-focused Hunter.
"Hero, she's up against a C-rank Hunter from the very first match."
"At least he isn't exceptionally good at one specific thing, so that's a relief."
Kim Do-hyun was, in a sense, a jack of all trades.
That was the nice way of putting it. To be blunt, he was mediocre.
Honestly, I wasn't worried about the other participants.
Even the Baekho Guild contestant—Lee Chae-hyun could create an opening if she used her hidden move.
'But Jang Yun-jae...'
He actually had a similar style to Lee Chae-hyun, so he would understand her psychology better than anyone.
'And that look he gave her at the end...'
He would be grinding his teeth at Lee Chae-hyun for making a fool of him.
---
The day of the main tournament finally arrived.
About to enter the arena, Lee Chae-hyun placed a hand on her chest and took deep breaths.
"Nervous?"
"Yes, a little... What if I only end up making the Director and Big Sis look bad?"
Laila approached the worried Lee Chae-hyun and gave her a gentle hug.
"Don't worry. Chae-hyun, you're already doing great."
"Okay..."
We heard a knock on the door.
"Hunter Lee Chae-hyun, you must enter now!"
Lee Chae-hyun followed the guide staff outside.
Soon, I could see her and Kim Do-hyun appear on the screen.
At the same time, the commentators' voices came through.
"Now, viewers, this is the very first match of the main tournament! As you know, something astonishing has happened. An E-rank Hunter against a C-rank Hunter. Such a matchup in an official tournament is highly unusual."
"Indeed. Of course, some of you watching may already have an outcome in mind."
"But what stands out the most is that Hunter Lee Chae-hyun was personally trained by the world's one and only Unknown Hunter. Let's see if she can surprise us once again!"
As the casters' practiced commentary continued, the signal to start the match came in.
And my viewers, who were watching the same screen as me, were also thrilled.
[Please, Chae-hyun, for fuck's sake]
[I have this stream and her broadcast pulled up side-by-side right now lol]
[Me too lmaoo it's boring to watch alone]
The faces of Lee Chae-hyun and Kim Do-hyun filled the screen in a close-up.
Looking at Lee Chae-hyun, Kim Do-hyun momentarily frowned.
"You look... really familiar... like I saw you at registration?"
He smiled as he looked at Lee Chae-hyun.
"An E-rank actually made it this far? Well, I guess that's as far as your luck goes."
"?"
"Don't feel too bad about losing. Losing to me is only natural. You did well just getting here."
At those words, Lee Chae-hyun laughed out of sheer disbelief.
Then she spoke slowly, her voice tinged with irritation.
"I wondered who it was. You're the guy who didn't know his place and asked me to eat together at registration?"
She took a step forward, raising an eyebrow.
"You even tried to get my number... How could you even think of it with a face like that?"
"...!!!"
Then the viewers, who seemed to already know the story, burst out laughing.
[Ah, it was that bastard lmaooo?]
[The guy who ran off the moment Hero and the Saintess showed up when he was trying to get her number lmaoo]
[Wow, the manager's first impression was such a gentle hikikomori girl... when did she become such an insider...]
At Lee Chae-hyun's provocation, Kim Do-hyun's lips stiffened and trembled.
But he forced himself to keep smiling as he spoke.
"Haha... you have a rough way of speaking."
"Your face is rougher."
Silence.
Then laughter erupted from the spectator seats.
Maybe not for the person involved, but for onlookers, trash talk like this was always entertaining.
[Wow, just stabbing him right in the heart lmaooo]
[Look at that bastard's face turning red, holy fuck lmaooo his face is gonna explode lmaoo]
"Why, you... crazy bitch!"
— Kwang!
The stone floor beneath him caved in with a crack, and his massive frame rushed toward Lee Chae-hyun.
But she skillfully dodged his first attack.
[Hope she just wipes the floor with him]
[Real talk lol, him not being self-aware and trying to get her number was hilarious to begin with]
[I just didn't like his name from the start]
Reading that last chat, I found myself nodding unconsciously in agreement.
I didn't know why, but I didn't like him from his name either.