S-Rank Number Two. Part Two
Jang Hye-yeon had received a tip from her youngest uncle’s junior disciple. A lot of guests had come.
Guests?
The word “guests” made Kang-jun’s face flash to mind, but the plural form gave her no clear image to see. She assumed they were people from the Hero Association.
Jang Hye-yeon straightened her heart one last time and rose from her seat. Her disciples pretended to steal glances at her beauty before pretending to run through the exercises again.
She hurried back to her room, took a clean shower, and then looked at her pubic hair, still sprouting rough and prickly like freshly mowed grass. The memory came rushing back—every single time she showered.
The beast’s cock moving gently inside her most private place, the intoxicating pleasure spreading all over her body, and then the explosive ecstasy bursting inside her like fireworks—
No, no! …I can’t submit to physical pleasure, Hye-yeon.
Jang Hye-yeon shook her head like a sprinkler, trying to clear her mind. Feeling dirty, she scrubbed her body hard with a towel, as if peeling something off.
This mixing of bodies had been nothing more than a sacred sacrifice for her aunt. She had tried to stop it, but she couldn’t completely. Still, she had done everything she could to hold it back.
That was why Jang Hye-yeon threw herself even harder into training—to endure the monster’s ferocious stamina. Thinking of her respected aunt.
After the shower she came out and put on a light touch of makeup. She couldn’t show up with a bare face if guests were coming.
Jang Hye-yeon glanced sideways through the hallway window at the parking lot. Two cars were parked there. A massive van she had never seen before, and…
Ah!
It was that beast’s car. It looked like Kang-jun was included in the group of “guests.” Her heart suddenly pounded. A whirlpool of emotions tumbled inside her chest, so she simply called it anger.
She walked unwillingly into the reception room, took a deep breath, controlled her expression, and knocked loudly on the door.
“Grandma, it’s Hye-yeon.”
“Ah, come in.”
Jang Hye-yeon carefully slid open the shoji screen. Several people were visible. Strangely, her gaze first landed on Kang-jun. Then her aunt, and finally the two men and women.
Ah.
“Long time no see, Hye-yeon.”
“Ah— Uncle. Nice to see you.”
She bowed her waist deeply.
Beside her the girl was pretending to know her.
“Long time no see, Jang Hye-yeon.”
“Ah, yeah. Yeah, it has been.”
Wang Sian… that damn bitch, why is she here…
Kang-jun greeted them with the most gentle and proper manners in the world.
“Hye-yeon, long time.”
“…Yes, Kang-jun. Nice to see you.”
Jang Hye-yeon reluctantly returned the greeting to Kang-jun and sat modestly beside her aunt. Wang Gang smiled immediately and started chatting.
“Your niece is getting to the age where she can get married.”
“Ah, well… not yet.”
“Are the two of you the same age?”
The moment the words left his mouth, Jang Hye-yeon and Wang Sian’s eyes slammed together in the middle.
They had been rivals for a very long time. Wang Sian had let everyone know it the most, thanks to her mother’s nagging.
Wang Gang had long chased after Jang Hwa-young, secretly in love with her and hoping she would marry him. His current wife secretly loved him too, but she was no match in skill or looks, so she kept stepping back and crying inside. After years of pursuit Jang Hwa-young had refused him every time, and eventually the current couple had formed.
There had been talk between that couple and Jang Hwa-young.
— Never, never give in to her. Not even anything!
Wang Sian had been brainwashed by her mother: no matter what, she could never lose to her aunt Jang Hye-yeon. Wang Sian, who knew nothing, had naturally grown up viewing Jang Hye-yeon as her rival, so the two had always run parallel paths. …That was how Kang-jun had set it up.
In truth their talents were almost equal. But because her father poured more devotion into his daughter, Wang Sian’s current skill was naturally a step ahead. Of course there was also the difference in weapons—spear versus sword.
This time Wang Sian had been promoted to C-class hero, so her momentum was high, but Jang Hye-yeon didn’t care one bit whether she thought that or not. Her focus was only on her aunt.
“Step outside for a while and get to know each other.”
Wang Gang signaled the young three to leave the room for a bit. They stood up quickly and left the reception room. The moment the shoji screen slid shut, Wang Gang’s smile faded a little.
“Where did you find this kid?”
“Chul-min brought her. She went to the branch for a short education session.”
Heh. Wang Gang had immediately recognized Kang-jun’s true worth. He was no ordinary person. Jang Hwa-young smiled warmly.
“I’ve never seen such a person before.”
“I’m putting all my expectations on her.”
“How good are you?”
“She’s almost on par with me. Four to six. She might catch up before the end of the year.”
“How old is she this year?”
“Twenty-two.”
Whoa. Wang Gang laughed in disbelief. Twenty-two and on par with S-rank Jang Hwa-young? It was crazy talk. But coming from Jang Hwa-young herself, he couldn’t dismiss it.
“Shin-chang is a stubborn one… Making that pretty face even more handsome—what are you thinking? Give one of them to me. It hurts.”
“…Yeah.”
Hmph. Wang Gang secretly glanced at Jang Hwa-young. He probably wanted to see Kang-jun’s skills with his own eyes.
“Can I take a look right now?”
“Senior. No work to do?”
“That can wait.”
Tsk… This senior is exactly the same.
The guys who were strong all had that stubborn spark to poke and test. …That was why Jang Hwa-young had suffered so much.
Of course Jang Hwa-young didn’t hate showing off her talent either. If she had, she would have flatly said she was done long ago. It was just a little test.
“Then just this once.”
“The junior is warm, that’s good.”
“Don’t say things like that in front of the kids. It’s embarrassing, really.”
The two left the reception room. In the hallway corner three people were glaring at each other, having a tense standoff. They had been sent to get along, but all they did was glare.
“Come, everyone.”
Jang Hwa-young led the way, heading to her private training ground.
The five arrived at the spacious training area. Jang Hye-yeon slid the windows open. Cool air flowed in.
Jang Hwa-young slipped up to Kang-jun and whispered in his ear.
“That guy sometimes does that. Just endure it once.”
She acts like it’s not her problem, that girl.
Of course Kang-jun didn’t reveal his inner thoughts.
“It’s good experience for me too.”
Wang Gang nodded at Wang Sian. Come, spar with her. Wang Sian nodded lightly and picked up the spear leaning against the wall. It wasn’t an excellent spear, but it was fine. The balance was perfect.
Kang-jun took a spear too. Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise. They had all assumed he only used a sword.
“Kang-jun, why a spear?”
Jang Hwa-young asked, curious. Kang-jun said he could use it too. Naturally she had never heard of it. She hadn’t even seen him hold one.
Of course Kang-jun had experience with many weapons. The spear had been one of the two he used most after the sword. For beginners the spear was actually far more efficient than the sword.
The moment Kang-jun gripped the spear, Wang Gang’s gaze changed.
This bastard has real skill.
He swung the spear a few times, getting used to it. Everyone watched in silence. Later he spun it like a windmill, then slammed the butt on the floor.
“Enough.”
Facing her, Wang Sian swallowed hard. Her mild aura suddenly turned sharp as a blade. She gripped the spear handle with both hands tight.
First… observation…
Thud, clang!
There was no time to observe. She was suppressed in an instant. Wang Sian stared down at the spear tip aiming for her chest and her mouth fell open.
Wang Gang crossed his arms.
“Step back, daughter.”
She didn’t even know how she had been hit. For light observation she had just swung the spear, and suddenly her own shaft was sliced off to the side while his spear stopped right in front of her chest.
“Ah, Father.”
“Come here.”
Wang Gang’s eyes were no longer on his daughter. His heart pounded. Kang-jun’s gaze was as sharp as the spear tip.
This guy is for real.
Jang Hwa-young couldn’t believe her eyes. She had never heard anyone say he used a spear, yet the skill he had just shown was one no amateur could manage. She hadn’t used a spear herself, but she had watched Wang Gang’s spear techniques from the side for a long time!
That was how she felt his genius again. His talent wasn’t limited to the sword—it was martial prowess itself.
Jang Hwa-young looked at Wang Gang’s face. The reason he had sent his daughter back and stepped forward was obvious. He had truly seen Kang-jun’s talent.
“Have you learned spear techniques before?”
“From over the shoulder.”
This crazy bastard—
A level from over the shoulder that could do this? It didn’t make sense. Wang Gang’s lips went dry.
Talmans had seen countless geniuses. Rumored ones were definitely excellent. But he had never been surprised. It had all been within expected range.
But this time Wang Gang felt genuine chills. This was the real genius.
Shin-chang’s presence rose. He couldn’t overwhelm anyone who tried to meet it halfway. Lifting such a terrifying aura against a fresh-faced young man was the first time.
Look at this guy?
Kang-jun felt annoyed looking at the opponent raising mana like he was going to kill. This wasn’t a simple spar.
Spear guys really were the ones you couldn’t mess with.
Of course he had no intention of letting himself be toyed with easily.
…In the second dungeon he had a colleague, a spear expert called Ghost Spear. He said the spear only needed two things to remember.
Basics and variations.
Don’t fall into the basics, win with variations—
—Gently Sea Ghost Spear.
That was the meaning of Ghost Spear’s technique: like the quiet sea. The sea looks calm but you never know when a huge tsunami will strike. That was exactly Ghost Spear’s style.
The two men locked eyes with their spears pointed at each other and stayed completely still. Time seemed frozen. Yet their invisible fight continued without end.
Everyone swallowed hard, eyes wide, watching. They couldn’t even speak a word.
After a long time the two spears clashed with a clang and a fierce exchange began.
Kang-jun felt he was being pushed back a little. Of course—his weapon wasn’t the spear and the opponent’s level was much higher. …Any excuse would do.
Wang Gang knew it too, but he sensed that the other person had perfectly mastered the principles of spear technique. Exactly what he had drilled into his daughter so many times.
Basics and application.
Kang-jun was extremely faithful to the basics. The foundation of spear technique was basically the basics themselves. Application after that was only a very small part of the whole.
After some exchanges Wang Gang stepped back, relaxed his stance. Kang-jun did the same, lowering his body. Hoo hoo, rough breaths filled his throat.
“Excellent. Truly excellent.”
Wang Gang meant it. His most outstanding student looked ordinary next to Kang-jun. If he polished him just a little more he would become the greatest gem… Actually he was too greedy. He wanted to take him and raise him right now.
“Stop using the spear.”
Jang Hwa-young read Wang Gang’s intention from his eyes and said gently that he should put it down. It sounded like she was subtly telling him she would take over his sword.
Kang-jun placed the spear neatly back in its spot. Wang Gang felt a little irritated.
“Hwa-young…”
“It’s no good.”
Jang Hwa-young ignored him and refused. Heh, this girl— The memory of being repeatedly rejected flashed through his mind. It felt exactly like that time.
“I haven’t finished talking yet.”
“Are you saying I should take Kang-jun with me for a while?”
“…You’re quick on the uptake.”
Wang Gang laughed. Jang Hwa-young smiled too.
“You have no idea how much I care.”
“That’s for sure.”
The two acted like they had entered another world and started gossiping. The remaining niece and daughter felt awkward.
Wang Sian stared at Kang-jun with new eyes. This was the first time she had seen her father like this.
How talented must he be…
It seemed amazing, but that was the limit of what she could understand.
“Then let’s go. You came here for work, right?”
“Got it. Let’s go.”
The five slowly left the training ground. Wang Gang secretly attached himself to his daughter.
“How do you feel about this young man? Do you like him?”
The daughter quickly read her father’s hidden meaning. She glanced sideways at Kang-jun. He was incredibly handsome. And her gaze accidentally brushed against her rival. Something strange and electrifying seemed to pass between Jang Hye-yeon and Kang-jun.
“Yeah… I like him.”
She couldn’t lose to the rival.
Whatever it took.